Cabinet Office

Government Departments: Social Media

Justin Madders: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish his Department's guidance on the vetting of the social media histories of people invited to speak at Government events.

Justin Madders: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people have been identified as not being suitable to invite to speak at Government events following the vetting of their social media histories; and if she will publish the names of those individuals.

Jeremy Quin: It is not our intention to publish the guidance, as cross departmental networks may wish to adapt it. We do not collate information on the number of people who are identified as unsuitable for speaking at Government events, nor would we publish the names of these individuals. Civil Service Human Resources who sit within the Cabinet Office developed the guidance for all Cross-Government Diversity networks, and this requires the networks to carry out checks on external speakers prior to inviting them to participate in Civil Service events.

Emergencies: Mobile Phones

Justin Madders: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which companies have contracts with his Department for delivering the emergency alerts system; and what the value of each of those contracts is.

Jeremy Quin: Following a compliant procurement process through Crown Commercial Services Tech Services 3 framework RM6100, the WP2083 Emergency Alerts contract was awarded on 10 October 2022 to Fujitsu. Details of the contract can be found here. The Cabinet Office operates a triple gateway process of approvals to ensure compliance and transparency in procurements. All contracts are reviewed and approved by delegated Cabinet Office Commercial Heads and then published. All procurements over £10,000 are subject to Commercial approvals. All contracts are then managed by accredited Contract Managers in accordance with Cabinet Office Commercial guidance. Contract agreements are published within 30 days in accordance with our obligations.

Alcoholism: Stockport

Navendu Mishra: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people died from alcoholism in (a) Stockport constituency and (b) the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport in each year since 2015.

Jeremy Quin: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon gentleman Parliamentary Question of 24th April is attached. UK Statistics Authority  (pdf, 159.7KB)

Cabinet Office: Aviation

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 28 March to Question 169228, on how many occasions the (a) Minister and (b) his predecessors have travelled overseas on non-scheduled flights with members of (i) the media and (ii) business delegations in the travelling party since 1 January 2021.

Jeremy Quin: I refer the Hon. lady to my response of 28 March to PQ 169228. In relation to the Office of the Prime Minister, I refer also to my answer of Hon. lady to PQ 181016.

Prime Minister: Aviation

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 28 March to Question 169228 on Cabinet Office: Aviation, on how many occasions (a) the Prime Minister and (b) his predecessors travelled overseas on non-scheduled flights with members of (i) the media and (ii) business delegations in the travelling party since 1 January 2021.

Jeremy Quin: Details on overseas flights by the Prime Minister are published in the Government’s quarterly transparency data, which can be found on gov.uk. There have been no business delegations travelling with the Prime Minister since 2018. Notwithstanding, the Prime Minister over this period (subject to restrictions during the covid pandemic) will have undertaken a number of business engagements and receptions with business whilst on overseas visits, to help secure investment into the UK and support UK businesses in exporting abroad. For example, during the UK-France Summit last month, the Prime Minister and President Macron met with businesses from both sides of the Channel. There were 21 overseas visits where representatives of the media accompanied the delegation.

Department for Transport

Motorways: Safety

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the news story entitled All new smart motorways scrapped, published by his Department on 15 April 2023, how much his Department spent on the (a) planning and (b) design of the (i) 11 schemes paused from the second and (ii) three schemes earmarked for construction during the third road investment strategy.

Mr Richard Holden: The Department for Transport has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Roads: Cornwall and Devon

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, in how many cases his Department has made reductions to the amount it had first planned to spend on a road scheme in Devon and Cornwall in the past three months; and in each case, by how much that amount was reduced.

Mr Richard Holden: There are no reductions to amounts intended to be spent on road schemes in Devon and Cornwall in the past three months. Nor are any reductions planned.

Cars: Sales

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of the cost fuel on the level of car sales in 2022.

Mr Richard Holden: While the Department does monitor electricity cost variation and the impact on electric vehicle uptake, through the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles, no such recent assessment has been made by the Department of the cost of fuel and the impact on car sales.

Shipping: Conditions of Employment

Dean Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress he has made on implementing the Nine-point plan for seafarers published 6 July 2022.

Mr Richard Holden: Since announcing the Nine Point Plan the Government has:Brought in the Seafarers’ Wages Act which will ensure that seafarers employed aboard ships regularly operating from UK ports will be paid at least an equivalent to the National Minimum Wage in UK waters.Worked with industry and unions to develop the Seafarers’ Charter, which will encourage and recognise ferry operators taking extra steps to provide good working conditions.Published a consultation on a draft Code of Practice on Fire and Rehire, the responses to which are now being considered by the Department for Business and Trade.Supported amendments to the Maritime Labour Convention to improve access to food and drinking water and appropriately sized PPE, and led development of guidance to support seafarers who face abandonment.Commissioned research into seafarer fatigue to give us more robust evidence about the impact of roster patterns.Commissioned research into improving internet connectivity for seafarers, as connectivity to shore and communication with friends and family is important for those at sea.Seafarer welfare is inextricably linked to international maritime law and regulation. As such it must be addressed with international partners and through international fora. The UK will continue to lead the way in seafarer welfare and will not shy away from its role as an international leader in championing this important cause.

Roads: Lincolnshire

Sir John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much funding his Department has provided for the (a) maintenance and (b) upgrade of roads in (i) South Holland District, (ii) South Kesteven District and (iii) Lincolnshire in the latest period for which data is available.

Mr Richard Holden: The Department has allocated a total of £199 million capital funding through formula to Lincolnshire County Council for highway maintenance for the financial years 2019/20 to 2023/24. This consists of £101.54 million for the Highways Maintenance Block (needs element), £23.303 million for the Highways Maintenance Block (incentive element) and £74.181 million for the Potholes Fund. In 2021/22 Lincolnshire County Council was also awarded:£2 million from the National Productivity Investment Fund for improvements to the A46 Lincoln Road, Welton, and£3.65 million from the Highways Maintenance Challenge Fund towards resurfacing the A52 Roman Bank. The Department has also provided £0.651 million in 2021/22 and £4.810 in 2022/23 to Lincolnshire County Council towards the costs of developing a Business Case for the North Hykeham Relief Road.

Railways: Overcrowding

Derek Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has taken recent steps to help prevent overcrowding on trains during (a) bank holidays and (b) other periods of increased leisure travel.

Huw Merriman: Train Operating Companies plan their train service using their available fleet to meet expected demand. The Department expects operators to consider local conditions wherever possible to plan additional services when demand is expected to significantly increase, for example providing additional capacity to support major events or extra services to coastal towns when unusually fine weather is forecast. Operators may be constrained by availability of resources or other factors such as safety.

Roads: Stockport

Navendu Mishra: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that potholes are fixed promptly in Stockport constituency.

Mr Richard Holden: Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council is a constituent member of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA). During the five-year period between 2022/23 - 2026/27, the Government is providing GMCA with £1.07 billion through their City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS). The funding settlement is for investment in the local transport networks in Greater Manchester, as outlined in GMCA’s business case and delivery plan. GMCA received an additional £6.21 million from the £200 million announced at Budget 2023. It is up to Stockport how best to spend the funding GMCA allocate them to fulfil their statutory duty under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980. The Department encourages good practice in highway maintenance through channels such as the Well Managed Highway Infrastructure Code of Practice produced by the UK Roads Leadership Group (UKRLG).

TransPennine Express Rail Franchise

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to his oral evidence before the Transport Select Committee, Q590 on 19 April 2023, what legal considerations are relevant that could prevent the Trans Pennine Express contract from expiring on 28 May 2023.

Huw Merriman: Any decision on the future operator of the TransPennine Express contract will be made in accordance with the Secretary of State’s published Section 26 Statement, which sets out the policy on the letting of passenger rail contracts.

TransPennine Express Rail Franchise

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to Clause 2.2 (Additional Reporting Periods) on page 16 of the First TransPennine Express Limited 2021 rail contract, whether the Secretary of State gave notice to the Operator of a reporting period extension by 23.59 on the 4th March 2023.

Huw Merriman: The Transpennine Express contract expires on 28 May 2023. No decision has yet been taken, all options remain on the table, and next steps will be announced in due course.

Home Office

Visas: Ukraine

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 20 December 2022 to Question 111601 and the Answer of 12 January 2023 to Question 117608 on Visas: Ukraine, what information her Department holds on the reasons for Ukrainian visa holders not arriving in the UK following the issuing of those visas.

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 12 January 2023 to Question 117608 on Visas: Ukraine, whether her Department plans to publish any information from the online survey of people who held Ukraine Family Scheme or Homes for Ukraine visas but who had not yet arrived in the UK.

Robert Jenrick: The full outputs of this survey have not been published because of concerns about data quality.

Visas: Skilled Workers

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what service will facilitate the digital technology global talent category of the Global Talent visa after 31 March 2023.

Robert Jenrick: On 25 April, it was announced that Tech Nation, the Global Talent endorsing body for digital technology, has become part of the Founders Forum Group. As part of the Founders Forum Group, Tech Nation will continue to process Global Talent digital technology endorsement applications for the foreseeable future. The application process is unaffected.

Migrant Workers: Skilled Workers

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how regularly her Department plans to update the Shortage Occupation List.

Robert Jenrick: The Government reviews the Shortage Occupation List more regularly, following recommendations from the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), so that the legal migration system is quicker and more responsive to the needs of businesses and the economy. The MAC currently has a call for evidence open for its latest review. The Call for Evidence closes on 26th May 2023 and the Government encourages sectors experiencing labour shortages to submit their evidence to the MAC.

Immigration

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people applied for indefinite leave to remain after completing the 10-year route to settlement based on their family or private life since 2012.

Robert Jenrick: The information requested could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.

Immigration

Christina Rees: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people applied for indefinite leave to remain after completing the 10-year route to settlement based on their family or private life since 2012.

Robert Jenrick: The information requested could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.

Asylum: Staff

Dame Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum caseworkers were employed by her Department in March 2023.

Robert Jenrick: As of 01 March 2023, there are 1,281 full time equivalent (FTE) asylum decision makers. This information is published online: Statistics relating to the Illegal Migration Bill - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). Finalised data for the number of decision makers up to 31 March 2023 is due to be published on 25 May 2023. We will continue to increase the number of caseworkers to help clear the asylum backlog by the end of 2023. This will take our expected number of decision makers to 1,800 by summer and 2,500 by September 2023.

Refugees: Afghanistan

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to ensure that applications to the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy scheme from applicants with credible links to the UK armed forces are processed in a timely way.

Robert Jenrick: The latest Immigration System Statistics, year ending December 2022, published on 23 February, show that since their first arrivals in 2021, the ACRS and the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) have resettled a total of 21,387 people. These statistics also show that we have now relocated 11,212 individuals under ARAP scheme since it began in 2021. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) will first consider any applications under the ARAP. They will then refer eligible individuals to the Home Office for permission to enter the UK. This will be subject to the enrolment of biometrics and security checks. The Home Office continues to work at pace to assess incoming ARAP visa applications against the Immigration Rules. We will continue to honour our commitment to those who remain in Afghanistan and the region. Our priority is to ensure that future UK arrivals can go directly into appropriate accommodation rather than costly temporary hotel accommodation. Doing this, whilst making sure that these individuals are fully supported and are able to successfully integrate into life in the UK is the right thing to do.

Refugees: Afghanistan

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent progress her Department has made on processing applications to the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme.

Robert Jenrick: The UK has made one of the largest commitments of any country to support those impacted by events in Afghanistan. The latest Immigration System Statistics, year ending December 2022, published on 23 February, show that since their first arrivals in 2021, the ACRS and the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) have resettled a total of 21,387 people. These statistics also show that we have now resettled more than 7,600 vulnerable Afghan nationals through the first phase of the ACRS. The Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) will see up to 20,000 people from Afghanistan and the region resettled to the UK over the coming years. Under the second pathway, which opened in 2022, we have now begun to receive the first referrals from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) of vulnerable refugees who have fled Afghanistan for resettlement to the UK. We are pleased to have welcomed the first 22 people to the UK under Pathway 2. Under Pathway 3 we have welcomed the first arrivals to the UK and look forward welcoming all remaining individuals under this Pathway as soon as is practically possible. There are currently no published statistics on Pathway 3 as arrivals under this pathway began after the start of the new reporting period. The next publication of statistics is due on 25 May 2023. We will continue to honour our commitment to those who remain in Afghanistan and the region. Our priority is to ensure that future UK arrivals can go directly into appropriate accommodation rather than costly temporary hotel accommodation. Doing this, whilst making sure that these individuals are fully supported and are able to successfully integrate into life in the UK is the right thing to do.

Windrush Compensation Scheme

Dawn Butler: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reason funding for the Windrush community engagement fund was withdrawn.

Robert Jenrick: Due to internal delays in assessing bids, the Home Office withdrew the Community Engagement Fund in February 2023. Continuing would have left organisations with very little time to complete projects before the end of the 22/23 financial year.

Immigration

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has taken recent steps to increase processing times for applications to extend limited leave to remain; and if she will make a statement.

Robert Jenrick: UK Visas and Immigration are currently operating within their global customer service standards across all of the main legal migration routes for customers who make an entry clearance application from overseas and for applications made inside the UK.Details of current performance against these customer service standards are updated regularly and can be found at:Visa decision waiting times: applications outside the UK - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)(opens in a new tab).Visa decision waiting times: applications inside the UK - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

Asylum: Accommodation Centres

Lloyd Russell-Moyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has made recent health and safety assessments at the (a) Wethersfield (b) Scampton and (c) Bexhill asylum accommodation sites.

Robert Jenrick: The Home Office, and wider government, work closely with Local Authorities to discuss proposed accommodation sites in their area. Each site has its own property and planning requirements which must be complied with.The Home Office ensures that all accommodation is safe, fit for purpose and meets all regulatory requirements.

Immigration

Christina Rees: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has taken recent steps to increase processing times for applications to extend limited leave to remain; and if she will make a statement.

Robert Jenrick: UK Visas and Immigration are currently operating within their global customer service standards across all of the main legal migration routes for customers who make an entry clearance application from overseas and for applications made inside the UK.Details of current performance against these customer service standards are updated regularly and can be found at:Visa decision waiting times: applications outside the UK - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)(opens in a new tab).Visa decision waiting times: applications inside the UK - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

Immigration: Applications

Stuart C McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to reduce processing times for limited leave to remain extension applications.

Robert Jenrick: UK Visas and Immigration are currently operating within their global customer service standards across all of the main legal migration routes for customers who make an entry clearance application from overseas and for applications made inside the UK.Details of current performance against these customer service standards are updated regularly and can be found at:Visa decision waiting times: applications outside the UK - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)(opens in a new tab).Visa decision waiting times: applications inside the UK - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

Youth Mobility Scheme: EU Countries and Latin America

Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the potential merits of extending the Tier 5 Youth Mobility Scheme to (a) further European countries and (b) South and Central American countries.

Robert Jenrick: We remain open to negotiating Youth Mobility Scheme (YMS) arrangements with other countries and territories. However, as each YMS is subject to a bilateral, reciprocal agreement which also provides benefit to UK nationals, with the detail negotiated and agreed between the relevant parties, we are unable to disclose the status of negotiations as they occur. Further details of additional YMS agreements will be announced once they are concluded.

Immigration: Applications

Dan Carden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to decrease processing times for limited leave to remain applications.

Robert Jenrick: UK Visas and Immigration are currently operating within their global customer service standards across all of the main legal migration routes for customers who make an entry clearance application from overseas and for applications made inside the UK.Details of current performance against these customer service standards are updated regularly and can be found at:Visa decision waiting times: applications outside the UK - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)(opens in a new tab).Visa decision waiting times: applications inside the UK - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

Asylum: Questionnaires

Dame Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of people who submitted an asylum claim questionnaire were invited to an interview in the latest period for which data is available.

Robert Jenrick: The exact number of individuals who have been invited to an interview following receipt of an asylum questionnaire under the streamlined process is not information currently held in a reportable format.

Asylum

Neil Coyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to extend the 20-working day deadline for asylum seekers to complete the streamlined asylum processing; and what criteria will be used to determine whether an applicant will receive a 10-day extension.

Robert Jenrick: Claimants who receive an Asylum Questionnaire will have 20 working days to return this. If the questionnaire is not returned within the timeframe, claimants will automatically receive a reminder via post, email and phone (where they have made their contact details available to the Home Office), and a further 10 working days to complete the questionnaire. In addition, extension requests to complete the questionnaire can be submitted and all relevant circumstances will be considered on a case-by-case basis.For more information, please see the guidance at: Streamlined asylum processing - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

Asylum: Albania

Stephen Kinnock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the oral statement by the Prime Minister on Illegal Migration of 13 December 2022, Official Report, column 887, when her Department plans to establish a new specialist unit for expediting cases involving Albanian nationals; and what recent estimate she has made of when her Department will meet its target of recruiting 400 new specialist staff to that unit.

Robert Jenrick: We have taken immediate action against the large numbers of Albanian nationals risking their lives and making dangerous and unnecessary journeys to the UK through illegal means.Since the Prime Ministers announcement over 400 specialist staff have been processing and expediting asylum claims from Albanian nationals.

Asylum: Questionnaires

Dame Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people were invited to an interview following the receipt of an asylum claim questionnaire in each (a) local authority and (b) constituency since 22 February 2023.

Robert Jenrick: The exact number of individuals who have been invited to an interview following receipt of an asylum questionnaire under the streamlined process, either in total or within local authorities and constituencies, is not information currently held in a reportable format.

Asylum: Questionnaires

Dame Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people were invited to a further interview following the receipt of an asylum claim questionnaire since 22 February 2023.

Robert Jenrick: The exact number of individuals who have been invited to a further interview following receipt of an asylum questionnaire under the streamlined process is not information currently held in a reportable format.

Asylum: Questionnaires

Dame Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many reminder notifications her Department has sent in circumstances where an asylum claim questionnaire is not returned by the deadline in the latest period for which data is available.

Robert Jenrick: The exact number of reminder notifications where an asylum claim questionnaire under the streamlined process is not returned by the deadline is not information currently held in a reportable format.

Immigration: Applications

Ms Harriet Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to provide more detailed guidance on when individuals can expect a decision on (a) immigration or (b) asylum applications where the Department has been unable to provide a full decision within the initial timeframe.

Robert Jenrick: UK Visas and Immigration are currently operating within their global customer service standards across all of the main legal migration routes for customers who make an entry clearance application from overseas and for applications made inside the UK.Details of current performance against these customer service standards are updated regularly and can be found at:Visa decision waiting times: applications outside the UK - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)(opens in a new tab).Visa decision waiting times: applications inside the UK - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).Prioritisation guidance is currently being developed and will be published in due course. This will include an explanation of the circumstances in which a case may be expedited.

Windrush Compensation Scheme

Dawn Butler: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications for a grant from the 2022-23 Windrush community engagement fund were approved before the scheme was withdrawn.

Robert Jenrick: Due to internal processing delays in assessing bids for the Community Engagement Fund 2022-23, the Home Office took the decision to withdraw the competition in February this year. Continuing with this competition would have left organisations with very little time to complete their proposed projects before the end of the 22/23 financial year. None of the applications for the grant fund were approved before withdrawal.

Asylum: Bermondsey and Old Southwark

Neil Coyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what data her Department holds on the number of (as) refugees and (b) asylum seekers in Bermondsey and Old Southwark constituency; and if she will provide a breakdown of those who are from (i) Yemen, (ii) Eritrea, (iii) Afghanistan, (iv) Syria and (v) Libya.

Robert Jenrick: The latest published Immigration Statistics detail the number of supported asylum seekers accommodated in each local authority area. These statistics can be found at : https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/asylum-and-resettlement-datasets#local-authority-data (table Asy_D11). We do publish details of the nationality of asylum seekers at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/asylum-and-resettlement-datasets (table Asy_D01 for all asylum seekers,:Asy_D09 for asylum seekers on support), but not by location. These figures are not available in a reportable format and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. Data are published on a quarterly basis, with the next quarterly figures due to be released in late May 2023.

Asylum: Staff

Dame Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what percentage of asylum caseworkers in her Department have been in post for less than (a) three months, (b) six months and (c) a year.

Robert Jenrick: The length of time an asylum caseworker has been in post is not routinely published and not recorded in a reportable format. The Home Office does publish data regarding the number of full time equivalent (FTE) asylum caseworkers employed in each month from 01 August 2019 – 01 March 2023. This provisional data can be found in the IMB_06 tab of the Statistics relating to the Illegal Migration Bill - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

UK Border Force: Tirana

Stephen Kinnock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the statement by the Prime Minister on Illegal Migration of 13 December 2022, Official Report, column 887, how many Border Force officers her Department plans to embed at Tirana airport; and how many officers have been embedded as of 24 April 2023.

Robert Jenrick: For security reasons, we do not give out figures of how many staff are working at a given time or location.The latest published staffing figures for Border Force can be found in the Home Office Annual Report for 2021-2022 Home Office annual report and accounts: 2021 to 2022 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

Asylum: English Language

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the ability of asylum seekers housed on (a) military bases, (b) accommodation barges, (c) cruise ships and (d) other non-urban locations to access English for speakers of other languages classes.

Robert Jenrick: The Home Office ensures that all accommodation is safe, habitable, fit for purpose and meets all regulatory requirements. These sites will accommodate asylum seekers in an orderly manner and in line with other asylum accommodations.

Treasury

Unpaid Taxes

James Murray: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 22 March 2023 to Question 165453 on Taxation: Fines, how many penalties issued by HM Revenue and Customs recorded on the National Penalty Processing System for Serial Tax Avoidance Regime amounted to £1,000,000 or above in each of the last five years.

James Murray: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 22 March 2023 to Question 165453 on Taxation: Fines, how many penalties issued by HM Revenue and Customs recorded on the National Penalty Processing System for General Anti-Avoidance Rule amounted to £1,000,000 or above in each of the last five years.

Victoria Atkins: As a result of the action the Government has taken to clamp down on marketed tax avoidance, the estimated tax gap from marketed avoidance sold primarily to individuals, has fallen from an estimated £1.5 billion in 2005-06 to £0.4 billion in 2020-21. HMRC takes a range of approaches to tackle tax avoidance. Regimes, such as the Serial Tax Avoidance Regime (STAR) and General Anti-Abuse Rule (GAAR), act as important deterrents aimed at changing the behaviour of the most persistent tax avoiders who continue to try to circumvent their tax obligations and so avoid making their fair contribution to society.

Unpaid Taxes

James Murray: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 22 March 2023 to Question 165453 on Taxation: Fines, how many penalties issued by HM Revenue and Customs recorded on the National Penalty Processing System for Failure to file returns on time amounted to £1,000,000 or above in each of the last five years.

Victoria Atkins: The National Penalty Processing System (NPPS) is used by HMRC to record certain types of information. NPPS is a standalone system for these purposes only. It is not used to record all penalties charged by HMRC across all of its compliance or wider activities. NPPS does not exclusively hold data relating to ‘Failure to file returns on time’ / ‘Deliberate Withholding of Information’.

Unpaid Taxes

James Murray: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 22 March 2023 to Question 165453 on Taxation: Fines, how many penalties issued by HM Revenue and Customs recorded on the National Penalty Processing System for Deliberate Withholding of Information amounted to £1,000,000 or above in each of the last five years.

Victoria Atkins: The National Penalty Processing System (NPPS) is used by HMRC to record certain types of information. NPPS is a standalone system for these purposes only. It is not used to record all penalties charged by HMRC across all of its compliance or wider activities. NPPS does not exclusively hold data relating to ‘Failure to file returns on time’ / ‘Deliberate Withholding of Information’.

Treasury: Staff

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 21 April to Question 177724 on Treasury: Staff, when staff in his Department's 1 Horseguards Road building last completed a Leesman office survey; and how many and what proportion of respondents to that survey (a) agreed and (b) disagreed with the statements about their main workplace that (i) it enabled them to work productively, (ii) it supported them sharing ideas and knowledge among colleagues, (iii) it created an enjoyable environment to work in, (iv) it contributed to a sense of community at work and (v) it's a place they were proud to bring visitors to.

Gareth Davies: HM Treasury is yet to undertake a GPA Leesman Survey for 1 Horse Guards Road. The management of the building was onboarded successfully to the GPA in October 2021. HM Treasury will consider any future need for a Leesman survey and liaise with the GPA in due course.

Revenue and Customs: Telephone Services

Catherine West: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to improve the call answer rates for HMRC helplines.

Victoria Atkins: HMRC is working to improve call answer rates, primarily through supporting customers who can use digital services to do so in the first instance. This will reduce call numbers and allow HMRC to focus their telephone support on those with more complex circumstances, or who are unable to engage digitally. HMRC are also deploying additional temporary resource to answer customer correspondence from April to September 2023. Answering correspondence more quickly reduces the number of progress-chasing calls, and therefore can further improve call answer rates.

Disguised Remuneration Loan Charge Review

Fleur Anderson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people have been refunded by HMRC due to changes made by the Morse Review; and what the total amount of money refunded is.

Victoria Atkins: Following Lord Morse’s Independent Loan Charge Review in 2019, HMRC established the Disguised Remuneration (DR) Repayment Scheme 2020 to repay voluntary payments that taxpayers had agreed to make as part of settlements concluded before changes were made to the scope of the Loan Charge. Individuals and employers had until 30 September 2021 to apply to HMRC for a refund or waiver. HMRC repays amounts that were paid in DR scheme settlements, and/or waives amounts of instalments due that have not yet been paid if certain conditions are met. By the end of March 2023, HMRC had processed over 2450 applications, of which over 1400 had received either a repayment, a waiver, or both. Over 1000 of the applications processed at that date were either invalid or ineligible. The total value of repayments, waivers or both that have been made by that date was over £180 million.

Department for Education

Teachers: Pay

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to her correspondence with teachers of 29 March 2023, if she will make an assessment of the affordability of the proposed pay award for teachers at schools that signed fixed-term energy contracts at peak prices that will expire after 31 March 2024.

Nick Gibb: The Government’s recent pay offer was fully funded, nationally, as set out in the Department’s recent Education Hub post, which can be found here: https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2023/03/28/teacher-strikes-latest-everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-teacher-pay-offer/.Following the rejection of this offer, final decisions on teachers’ pay for 2023/24 will now be made following recommendations on pay rises by the independent School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB).The Autumn Statement announced additional funding of £2 billion in each of the 2023/24 and 2024/25 financial years, over and above totals announced at the 2021 Spending Review. This means funding for both mainstream schools and high needs is £3.5 billion higher in 2023/24, compared to 2022/23.Total funding for both mainstream schools and high needs will total £58.8 billion in the 2024/25 financial year, the highest ever level in real terms per pupil. After accounting for the new pay offers in 2023, the Institute for Fiscal Studies estimate that school funding is still growing faster than school costs.The Government provides these annual increases to school revenue budgets so that schools can cover cost increases in the year ahead, including teacher pay increases. England’s funding system, using a national formula, is designed so that schools seeing the largest pressures typically attract the largest funding increases, but it does not match each individual school’s precise costs, as schools have autonomy over their own spending. The Government’s judgement of the affordability of teacher pay increases is based on national figures, which equate to the position for an average school.

Students: Cost of Living

Dan Carden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 24 April 2023 to Question 180273 on Students: Cost of Living, if she will take steps to implement the recommendations within the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Students report on the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on students, published on 22 March 2023.

Robert Halfon: ​​The government recognises the additional cost of living pressures that have arisen this year and that have impacted students. The department notes the recommendations made by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Students and is carefully assessing the impact of the cost of living increase on students.The department has continued to increase maximum loans and grants for living and other costs for undergraduate and postgraduate students each year and has also increased the amount available for hardship funding. This is in addition to support that comes directly from higher education (HE) providers.Furthermore, we boosted our student premium funding support so now there is £276 million of available this academic year to support disadvantaged students who need additional help.All households saved on their energy bills through the Energy Price Guarantee and the £400 Energy Bills Support Scheme discount. Students who buy their energy from a domestic supplier are eligible for the energy bills discount. The Energy Prices Act passed on 25 October 2022 includes the provision to require landlords to pass benefits they receive from energy price support, as appropriate, onto end users. Further details of the requirements under this act are set out in the legislation.The Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding will provide £400 support to those households without a direct relationship to a domestic electricity supplier in England, Scotland and Wales, who have faced increased energy bill costs since 1 October 2022. This will include students in privately rented accommodation, where they receive their energy from an intermediary (such as a landlord or letting agency) who holds a commercial electricity contract.Students whose bills are included in their rent, including energy charges, will typically have agreed their accommodation costs upfront when signing their contract for the current academic year.Together with the HE sector, the department is doing all that it can to support students facing hardship. However, decisions on student finance have to be taken alongside other spending priorities to ensure the system remains financially sustainable and the costs of HE are shared fairly between students and taxpayers, not all of whom have benefited from going to university.

Apprentices: Taxation

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to extend the period of time within which employers can use their apprenticeship levy funds from 24 to 36 months.

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to take steps to remove the 12-month minimum course requirement for the use of apprenticeship levy money.

Robert Halfon: The department is committed to supporting more employers in all sectors to use apprenticeships to develop the skilled workforces they need. The department is committed to supporting more people to benefit from the sustained, high-quality training that apprenticeships offer.Levy-payers can spend their levy funds on over 660 apprenticeship standards and the department is encouraging more flexible training models so employers can train their apprentices in the ways that work best for them.The department considers that a period of 24 months before levy funds expire gives employers ample time to plan their apprenticeship programmes and create new apprenticeship opportunities.The department’s reforms have raised the quality of apprenticeships, giving apprentices confidence that they will receive stretching and sustained training. We continue to support and safeguard apprenticeship quality through several measures, including minimum duration requirements for off-the-job training, provider accountability monitoring, the 12-month minimum period of training, and Ofsted inspection and monitoring visits.

Physical Education: Teachers

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to address (a) recruitment and (b) retention of teachers with expertise in Physical Education.

Nick Gibb: Over 465,500 (FTE) teachers work in state-funded schools across the country, which is over 24,000 more than in 2010.As of November 2021, there were 23,708 teachers of physical education (PE) in state-funded secondary schools in England. Recruitment to Initial Teacher Training (ITT) has been high for PE and has consistently exceeded its target. The Initial Teacher Training Census shows that in 2022/23, PE was at 143% of its target. In 2021/22, it was at 163% of its target. These figures can be found online at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/initial-teacher-training-census/2022-23.One of the Department’s priorities is to continue to attract, retain and develop the highly skilled teachers needed to inspire the next generation. The Department’s reforms will support teacher recruitment and retention across all subjects, including PE.The Department is transforming the process of becoming a teacher In October 2021, the Department rolled out its new digital service, ‘Apply for teacher training’. This was a key milestone in the delivery of a more streamlined, user friendly application route. The Department’s marketing campaign provides inspiration and support to explore a career in teaching and directs people to the ‘Get Into Teaching’ service.The Department remains committed to delivering starting salaries of £30,000 to attract and retain the very best teachers. The Department has implemented the School Teachers’ Review Body’s recommendation of a significant 8.9% pay uplift to teacher starting salaries outside London in the academic year 2022/23, bringing them up to £28,000, and a 5% pay rise for experienced teachers. This is the highest pay award in 30 years.The Department has created an entitlement to at least three years of structured training, support and professional development for all new teachers, including those of PE. Underpinning this is the new ITT Core Content Framework and the Early Career Framework. Together, these ensure that new teachers will benefit from at least three years of evidence based training, across ITT and into their induction.Teacher retention is key to ensuring effective teacher supply and quality, and the Department has published a range of resources to help address teacher workload and wellbeing and support schools to introduce flexible working practices.

Confucius Institutes

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the number of Confucius Institutes in the UK.

Robert Halfon: There are currently 30 Confucius Institutes in the UK, including five in Scotland, three in Wales and one in Northern Ireland.

Construction: Training

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to remove the double levy charge on modular manufacturers by exempting them from the scope of the Construction Industry Training Board levy.

Matthew Pennycook: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of the potential merits of exempting modular housing manufacturers from the Construction Industry Training Board levy.

Robert Halfon: The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) levy applies to all employers engaged wholly or mainly in construction industry activities, unless exempted. A full list of construction industry activities in scope for the purposes of the CITB levy can be found here: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1992/3048/schedule/1/made.The department has not been asked to consider a request to amend this list.The department does not intend to exempt any in scope employers from the CITB levy on the basis they also pay the apprenticeship levy. The CITB levy and apprenticeship levy fund different activities. The apprenticeship levy is ‘ring-fenced’ to support apprenticeships in England across all sectors and occupations. The CITB levy is specific to the construction industry and invested by CITB in training and other projects for the benefit of the sector. This includes grants to employers to train new staff or develop the skills of their existing workforce, initiatives to help the industry recruit new talent and support the transfer of skilled workers.

Transport: Schools

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to require all state and independent schools to develop a school travel plan.

Nick Gibb: The Department does not have plans to legislate to require all schools to develop school travel plans, but Local Authorities have a statutory duty to promote sustainable home to school travel.The Modeshift STARS education scheme, which is supported by the Department for Transport and Active Travel England, supports schools and Local Authorities to develop and monitor school travel plans. More information can be found here: http://www.modeshiftstars.org/.   The Department’s Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy commits to support the Department for Transport in delivering initiatives to increase active and safe travel to school to improve wellbeing, reduce carbon emissions and improve air quality, such as Bikeability, Walk to School Outreach and School Streets.

Social Workers: Recruitment

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the reasons for which the number of full-time equivalent children and family social workers leaving between October 2021 and September 2022 was the highest since the collection of figures began in 2017; and what steps she plans to take to increase the recruitment and retention of children and family social workers.

Claire Coutinho: Social workers play a valuable role in supporting the most vulnerable in society and the department is committed to ensuring there is an excellent child and family social worker for everyone who needs one. We recognise the ongoing challenge facing local authorities across the country in recruiting and retaining child and family social workers, with reasons for social workers leaving the profession being varied and complex. However, the current number of full time-equivalent social workers is still higher than it was in 2017.The department currently invests more than £50 million every year on recruiting, training and developing child and family social workers to ensure the workforce has the capacity, skills and knowledge to support and protect vulnerable children.Through the fast track and development programmes, the department trains an average of 800 new social workers and provides professional development for around 4,000 others. This includes leadership training, which we know plays an important role in improving recruitment and retention.On 2 February 2023, the department published its care reform strategy, ‘Stable Homes, Built on Love’, which sets out proposals to help stabilise the workforce. This includes supporting the recruitment of up to 500 social worker apprenticeships, a new Early Career Framework that will set out the development plans for a social worker’s first five years, and proposals to reduce the sector’s overreliance on agency social workers, which will all play an important role in helping to improve recruitment and retention.

Social Workers: Training

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress her Department has made on establishing an Early Career Framework for social workers as recommended by the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care.

Claire Coutinho: The department has committed to developing a new Early Career Framework (ECF) for child and family social workers, significantly extending the training and support social workers receive at the beginning of their career.As set out in ‘Stable Homes, Built on Love’, our children's social care implementation strategy, the initial induction period for all social workers will be extended to two years with an offer of further training and development up to five years. We will explore how we can make the ECF an entitlement for all child and family social workers from September 2026.The programme will be underpinned by a new framework document, setting out the knowledge and skills social workers need to support and protect children and families. The department is in the process of recruiting an Expert Writing Group to write the framework document and will announce the membership of the group shortly. The group will engage widely with stakeholders throughout the process, and we will also consult formally on the content of the framework document.​The department is committed to designing the ECF programme with the sector and will shortly appoint a small number of Early Adopter local authorities to work with us. Initially, these will be local authorities that are already running an extended early career programme, beyond the Assessed and Supported Year in Employment (ASYE), before we expand to a wider range of local authorities. In addition, the department is working with stakeholders from across the sector to develop and refine delivery plans, including Directors of Childrens Services, Social Work England, Principal Social Workers, the Chief Social Worker and Ofsted.

Children: Disability

Marsha De Cordova: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she will take to ensure the equal availability and delivery of support for disabled children in all post codes.

Claire Coutinho: In the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities and Alternative Provision Improvement Plan, the department set out our mission for more children and young people to have their needs met effectively in mainstream education providers, reducing reliance on Education, Health and Care plans to access support.We will improve mainstream education through setting standards for early and accurate identification of need, and timely access to support to meet those needs. The standards will include clarifying the types of support that should ordinarily be available in mainstream education providers, who are responsible for securing the support and from which budgets the support is obtained.This will help families, practitioners and providers understand what support every child or young person should be receiving from early years through to further education, no matter where they live or what their needs are. By the end of 2025, the department will publish a significant proportion of the national standards.

Special Educational Needs

Marsha De Cordova: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she will take to ensure that changes to the SEND system do not make it more challenging for parents to receive support for their children.

Claire Coutinho: The department published the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Alternative Provision (AP) Improvement plan on Thursday 2 March 2023. This set out our intention to deliver a new national SEND and AP system, underpinned by creating new national SEND and AP standards for identifying and meeting needs, covering early, years, schools and post-16 provision. This approach will enable children to receive appropriate, evidence-based support for their needs at the earliest opportunity and without unnecessary bureaucracy. For those children and young people with SEND who do require an Education, Health and Care (EHC) assessment, we have set out our vision for a reformed and consistent EHC plan process. This will ensure that children and young people with SEND get prompt access to the support they need, and that parents don’t face an adversarial system to secure this.The department recognises that children with SEND may require support from a range of services, including social care. We have developed children's social care and SEND/AP reforms in parallel to ensure the two systems will provide high quality support for disabled children and their families. We will continue to deliver commitments for disabled children, as announced in the ‘Stable Homes: Built on Love’ implementation strategy and consultation, which was published in February 2023. These specifically include improving access to family help and accepting the recommendation of the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care for the Law Commission to review children's social care legislation for disabled children, so that entitlements are clearer and easier for families to understand. These reforms will also build on the evidence we are gathering from the Short Breaks Innovation fund, a £30million investment over three years to test more effective approaches to providing short breaks for specific groups of children.

Special Educational Needs: Teachers

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to take steps to improve the (a) recruitment and (b) retention of STEM teachers; and whether she has made an assessment of the adequacy of existing schemes at attracting and retaining staff.

Nick Gibb: The Department’s recruitment and retention reforms aim to ensure effective teacher supply across all subjects. The Department recognises that recruitment and retention in some subjects, including STEM subjects, remains more challenging and the Department has put in place additional targeted initiatives.In October 2022, the Department announced an Initial Teacher Training (ITT) financial incentives package worth up to £181 million for those starting ITT in 2023/24, which is a £52 million increase on 2022/23. The package includes bursaries worth £27,000 tax free and scholarships worth £29,000 tax free to encourage talented trainees to teach in key subjects such as mathematics, physics, chemistry and computing. More information on the financial incentives package can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/funding-initial-teacher-training-itt/funding-initial-teacher-training-itt-academic-year-2023-to-2024. For the 2023/24 academic year, the Department has also extended bursary and scholarship eligibility to all non-UK national trainees in physics.There is strong evidence that increasing bursaries increases ITT recruitment. The National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) have recently published independent research which corroborates the Department’s analysis which finds that a £1,000 increase in bursary value results in approximately a 3% increase in applicants on average, all other things being equal. The NFER research can be found here: https://www.nfer.ac.uk/media/4957/assessing_the_impact_of_pay_and_financial_incentives_in_improving_shortage_of_subject_teacher_supply.pdf.The Department also pays a Levelling Up Premium worth up to £3,000 tax-free for mathematics, physics, chemistry and computing teachers in the first five years of their careers, who choose to work in disadvantaged schools, including in Education Investment Areas. More information is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/levelling-up-premium-payments-for-teachers.In spring 2022, the Department launched ‘Engineers teach physics’ (ETP), an ITT course which was piloted as a step to encourage engineering graduates and career changers with an engineering background to consider a career as a physics teacher. Following the pilot year, the Department has now rolled ETP out nationally, with 18 providers currently offering this course.The Department reviews the existing schemes on offer each year and considers the introduction of specific targeted initiatives where there is evidence that they could contribute to the recruitment and retention of excellent teachers.To support retention across all subjects, the Department has published a range of resources to help address staff workload and wellbeing. This includes the Education Staff Wellbeing Charter, which the Department is encouraging schools to sign up to as a shared commitment to promote staff wellbeing. The Charter can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/education-staff-wellbeing-charter. The Department will be reviewing progress made against the Charter later this year.

Apprentices: Degrees

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has a set a target on increasing the range of employers and industries offering Degree Apprenticeships in the (a) UK and (b) North East; and what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the current range of apprenticeships available.

Robert Halfon: Level 6 and 7 Degree level apprenticeships provide people with high quality training and are important in supporting productivity, social mobility and widening participation in higher education and employment.The department wants to further accelerate the growth of higher and degree apprenticeships across all regions and encourage higher education (HE) providers to expand their existing offers, or develop new ones. The department is therefore providing an additional £40 million in Strategic Priorities Grant funding over the next two years, on top of the £8 million investment in the 2022/23 financial year. This funding will help to ensure people can access professions which have historically been reserved for those with a traditional degree.The department continues to promote degree level apprenticeships to employers in all sectors and regions, and it is for individual employers to choose which apprenticeships they offer, and at what level, according to their needs.The department is working hard to ensure that young people across the country get the right information to help them decide on the best route for their future. From autumn 2023, UCAS will expand their service so that young people can see more personalised options, including degree apprenticeships. From 2024, students will then be able to apply for apprenticeships alongside degrees, meaning young people can find the right option for them, all in one place.There are now a wide range of degree level apprenticeships available for individuals and employers to choose from. The department’s reforms introduced industry-designed apprenticeship standards to ensure that apprenticeships deliver the skills that employers need. Employers have developed almost 160 standards at degree level, including Doctor, Construction Quantity Surveyor and Midwife. Where employers identify an occupation gap, they can work with the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IFATE) to develop a new apprenticeship.The department has seen a year-on-year growth of degree level apprenticeships, with almost 180,000 starts since their introduction in the 2014/15 academic year. Starts at Levels 6 and 7 now represent 16.2% of all starts (33,180) so far this year (August 2022 to January 2023), and volumes are up by 12% when compared to the same period in 2021/22 (29,580).

Apprentices: Degrees

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many Degree Apprenticeships were (a) advertised and (b) completed in (i) Enfield North constituency, (ii) the London Borough of Enfield and (iii) London in each of the last five years.

Robert Halfon: The table below provides details of degree-level apprenticeship (Level 6 and 7) vacancies in Enfield North, the London Borough of Enfield, and London that were advertised on the Find an Apprenticeship (FAA) service on GOV.UK in each of the last five years.The department encourages employers to advertise on FAA to maximise engagement with their vacancies and to ensure that they are accessible to all potential apprentices, but not all choose to use the service. Employers may choose to recruit apprentices through their own channels, such as their own websites, which we do not monitor. The figures below therefore do not represent the total number of degree-level apprenticeship vacancies advertised.​Academic Year​Number of Level 6 and 7 Apprenticeship Vacancies Advertised on the FAA WebsiteEnfield NorthEnfieldLondon​2017/1800580​2018/19lowlow1240​2019/20lowlow990​2020/21low101130​2021/2210103060The table below provides details of degree-level apprenticeships that have been achieved in each of the last five years.​Academic Year​Number of Level 6 and 7 Apprenticeship Achievements[1]Enfield NorthEnfieldLondon​2017/18lowlow10​2018/19lowlow50​2019/20low10450​2020/21low201,160​2021/2220501,790 Between the 2017/18 and 2021/22 academic years. there have been 230, 690, and 22,230 degree-level apprenticeship starts in Enfield North, Enfield, and London respectively. Level 6 and 7 apprenticeship standards range from one to five years in duration and typically take three to four years to complete.[1] The vacancy region is based on the postcode of the vacancy whereas the achievement/start region is based on an apprentice’s home postcode. The data is rounded to the nearest ten. ‘Low’ indicates fewer than five.

Apprentices: Degrees

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many Degree Apprenticeships were (a) advertised and (b) completed in the North East in each of the last five years.

Robert Halfon: The table below provides details of degree level apprenticeship (Level 6 and 7) vacancies in the North East that were advertised on the Find an Apprenticeship (FAA) service on GOV.UK in each of the last five years.The department encourages employers to advertise on FAA to maximise engagement with their vacancies and to ensure that they are accessible to all potential apprentices, but not all choose to use the service. Employers may choose to recruit apprentices through their own channels, for example their own websites, which we do not monitor. The figures below therefore do not represent the total number of degree level apprenticeship vacancies advertised.Academic YearNumber of Level 6 & 7 Apprenticeship Vacancies in the North East advertised on Find An Apprenticeship2017/18402018/191102019/20702020/211602021/22140 The table below provides details of degree level apprenticeships that have been achieved in each of the last five years.Academic YearNumber of Level 6 & 7 Apprenticeship achievements in the North East2017/18102018/19602019/201002020/212802021/22570Between 2017/18 and 2021/22 there have been 7,780 degree-level apprenticeship starts in the North East region. Level 6 and 7 apprenticeship standards range from one to five years in duration and typically take three to four years to complete. Note:The vacancy region is based on the postcode of the vacancy whereas the achievement/start region is based on apprentice’s home postcode.

Teachers: Training

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the Government's commitment to ensure the ITT Core Content and Early Career Frameworks are up to date and fit for purpose includes an amendment to add specific reference to dyslexia to those frameworks.

Nick Gibb: The Department knows that quality teaching is the most important in-school factor in improving outcomes for all children, particularly those with additional needs. From September 2020, all new teachers have benefited from at least three years of evidence-based professional development and support, starting with Initial Teacher Training (ITT) based on the new ITT Core Content Framework (CCF), and followed by a new two-year induction underpinned by the Early Career Framework (ECF). These reforms support the Department’s ambition that all new teachers starting in the profession learn how to meet the needs of all pupils, including those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).Both the CCF and ECF were based on the most up to date research into excellent teaching practice and have been independently reviewed by the Education Endowment Foundation.All ITT courses and ECF-based training programmes are designed to support trainee and early career teachers to demonstrate that they meet the Teachers' Standards at the appropriate level. This includes the requirement in Standard 1, that teachers must set goals that stretch and challenge pupils of all backgrounds, abilities and dispositions, as well as Standard 5, that all teachers must have a clear understanding of the needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs, and be able to adapt teaching to respond to those strengths and needs.When launching the CCF and ECF, the Department committed to updating the frameworks as research progresses. The Department is reviewing and revising the ITT CCF and ECF into more closely combined frameworks which cover the first three years or more at the start of a teacher’s career and articulate what trainee and new teachers need to know and how to do it. The Department is building on what we have learned from the first few years of CCF implementation and ECF delivery and this will include identifying opportunities to improve how the frameworks can support new teachers to be more confident in meeting the needs of pupils with SEND, including those with dyslexia.

Schools: Health Professions

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of (a) primary and (b) secondary schools have a (i) school nurse, (ii) healthy lifestyles coach and (iii) equivalent health worker.

Nick Gibb: In November 2021, the latest available information, 49 (0.3%) state funded primary schools and 266 (8.1%) state funded secondary schools in England employed at least one person whose role was reported as ‘nurse’.Please note that the figures provided are based on staff roles as reported by the school, and as such ‘nurse’ may not necessarily indicate a qualified specialist community public health nurse. School nurses play a pivotal role in supporting schools to meet this duty, but they will not be the only healthcare professionals available to help schools in supporting their pupils.The information requested on the number and proportion of (a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools that have a (i) healthy lifestyles coach and (ii) equivalent health worker is not held centrally.Information on the state funded school workforce in England, including the number of support staff employed by schools each November, is published in the annual ‘School Workforce in England’ national statistics release at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england.

Ministry of Defence

A400M Aircraft

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many A400M aircraft are (a) held within the Forward Available Fleet and (b) what is the Mean Time Between Unscheduled Removals as of 24 April 2023.

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many C-130J aircraft are (a) held within the Forward Available Fleet and (b) what is their Mean Time Between Unscheduled Removals as of 24 April 2023.

James Cartlidge: The Air Mobility Force is currently heavily engaged in the evacuation of civilians from the Sudan and it is not currently possible to provide meaningful data relating to Mean Time Between Unscheduled Removal. Figures for the number of aircraft in the Forward Available Fleet are given below:  Forward Available Fleet (Aircraft)Atlas A400M12Hercules C-130J7

Military Aircraft: Helicopters

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he plans for the New Medium Helicopter programme to reach Initial Operating Capability.

James Cartlidge: Industry's detailed responses to the second half of the New Medium Helicopter programme's competition will provide a clearer understanding of aspects, such as suppliers' production capacity, which will enable us to confirm the timing of the programme's capability milestones.

LE TacCIS programme

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent progress his Department has made on delivering the objectives of Project Morpheus.

James Cartlidge: The Department is in regular discussions with General Dynamics Mission Systems (UK) regarding the MORPHEUS project. These matters are commercially sensitive, and it would be inappropriate to comment further until discussions have concluded.

Artillery: Contracts

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 30 March 2023 to Question 172978 on Artillery: Contracts, what the total value is of each of those contracts.

James Cartlidge: The concept phase work to date for the Mobile Fires Platform has been conducted under existing contracts or internally in the Ministry of Defence. The Department tracks spending on Mobile Fires Platforms under each of the different contracts and internally. The table below therefore shows the spend to date in support of each part of the concept phase for the Mobile Fires Platform rather than discreet contract values:ContractOutputCost (£)Commerce DecisionMarket engagement, initial strategic advice and business case support387,589.64EquinoxTraining analysis77,390.00QinetiQFeasibility studies and ammunition qualification support811,227.14PA ConsultingStrategic advice and business case support382,049.27DSTLOperational analysis900,937.48Total2,559,193.53* The figures in the table represent the total spend as at 31 March 2023. It is likely that some additional spend will be further incurred under DSTL and PA Consulting. Work under contract with Commerce Decision, Equinox, and QinetiQ has concluded.

Defence: Seas and Oceans

Bob Seely: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps the Navy is taking to work with Joint Expeditionary Force partners and NATO to protect critical underwater cables and pipelines.

James Heappey: The Royal Navy routinely coordinate operations with Joint Expeditionary Force and NATO partners, recognising our shared interests in critical infrastructure and its protection. The Government regards subsea cables and pipelines as critical to our national and international infrastructure and therefore monitors a variety of risks they face. Moreover, subsea internet cables are specifically considered within the UK's National Risk Assessment. Detailing security arrangements made to protect such cables and pipelines from sabotage would be likely to prejudice the purpose of safeguarding their security, and with it, national security.

Armoured Fighting Vehicles: Health and Safety

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when his Department last conducted a health and safety risk assessment of the Army’s armoured vehicle fleet for issues related to noise and vibration.

James Cartlidge: The safety of our Armed Forces personnel is always a priority. Defence Equipment and Support and the Army regularly review the safety of all in-service vehicles, including with respect to noise and vibration.

Ministry of Defence: Housing

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 20 March 2023 to Question 165250 on Ministry of Defence: Housing, how many boilers in service family accommodation (a) over 10 years old have failed at least three times and (b) have been replaced through the three-strike programme in the last 12 months.

James Cartlidge: In the last 12 months, 1,413 boilers over 10 years old have failed three times. All have been replaced in accordance with the three-strike programme.

Armed Forces: Housing

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much from the public purse his Department spent on repair work in service family accommodation in each year since 2015; and if he will provide a breakdown of costs for each year.

James Cartlidge: The amount the Department spent on repair work in Service Family Accommodation (SFA) in each year since 2015 can be found in the table below.2015£30.57 million2016£29.90 million2017£30.98 million2018£32.24 million2019£32.35 million2020£35.90 million2021£38.28 million2022£35.09 million In addition to the cost of repairs, the MOD has invested more than £936 million in SFA improvements in the last seven years.

Falkland Islands: Armed Conflict

Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 20 April 2023 to Question 180811 on Falkland Islands: Armed Conflict, whether sections of the records held on RFA Sir Galahad which do not relate directly to sections 40 and 41 can be released before 2065.

Dr Andrew Murrison: All files which relate to the Board of Inquiry into the sinking of RFA Sir Galahad are already available to view at The National Archives (TNA) with the exception of those retained under Section 40 (Personal Information) and Section 41(information provided in confidence) of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act. Files held at TNA are listed in the supporting table. An extract is also held by MOD and is withheld under Sections 40 and 41 of the FOI Act.RFA Sir Galahad records (docx, 21.5KB)

Military Aircraft: Helicopters

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent progress his Department has made on the NATO Next Generation Rotorcraft Capability project.

James Cartlidge: Since the signing of the Letter of Intent (LOI) in October 2020, the UK has guided the NATO Next Generation Rotorcraft Capability (NGRC) project through the Pre-Concept stage. The NGRC Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed on 16 June 2022, marked the transition of the project to the Concept Phase which is expected to run over the next three years.The NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) run NGRC program office was stood up in November 2022 and is currently writing the Statements of Work and contracts for the initial concept studies. The Army, DSTL and Defence Equipment and Support have pivotal roles within the Program Office, Steering Board, and Partnership Committee.We expect the NATO NGRC project to develop a transformational Next Generation Rotorcraft that will remain relevant against future threats and will be a suitable candidate to replace current fleets of Medium Helicopters in service with the UK and NATO Allies.The UK is fully engaged with the NATO NGRC project to develop options for potential replacements across Defence.

Type 32 Frigates

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he expects to allocate additional funding to Babcock for the construction of the Type 32 frigates beyond that which was previously agreed.

James Cartlidge: The Type 32 frigate programme remains in the concept phase and has not yet reached the level of maturity for full budget allocation with only concept funding being allocated to the programme to date. As announced by my predecessor in the House on 30 January 2023, it remains the intent of the Ministry of Defence that 'the programme and procurement strategy will be decided following the concept phase.'

Department of Health and Social Care

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Students

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that university students receive timely (a) referrals for assessment for and (b) diagnoses of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Maria Caulfield: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Palantir: Contracts

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment has been made of the performance of Palantir in fulfilling its contract.

Will Quince: NHS England can confirm that throughout its delivery, Palantir has met its obligations as set out within the terms of its contracts.

Palantir: Contracts

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many officials have responsibility for monitoring the value for money of his Department's contract with Palantir.

Will Quince: The Department does not have any contract with Palantir to monitor. NHS England has responsibility for monitoring its contracts with Palantir.NHS England manages the Palantir contract in line with the contract management framework to ensure value for money. NHS England has identified a Senior Responsible Officer, Contract Manager, Project Owner, Senior Supplier Relationship Manager, Benefits Manager, Exit Manager and Commercial Manager to the contract. A programme delivery team is also in place with benefits management and value for money processes and governance embedded into the working practices of the team.

Palantir: Contracts

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to (a) extend and (b) undertake a consultation on the potential extension of its contract with Palantir.

Will Quince: The Department does not have any contract with Palantir. NHS England has a current contract in place with Palantir, to provide Data Platform Services in support of COVID-19 recovery, which is published on Contracts Finder. NHS England has always used compliant contracting mechanisms when contracting Palantir and does not have a requirement to consult other than following the standard processes for assurance and approval. The Department will perform the appropriate role as part of these standard approval processes.

Palantir: Contracts

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has discussions with relevant stakeholders on the extension of the NHS contract with Palantir in 2021.

Will Quince: All NHS England contracts follow standard processes for assurance and approval. The Department undertook the appropriate role as part of these standard approval processes that were in place at the time. There were no specific, planned discussions about the extension of the contract by NHS England in 2021.

Methylphenidate

Dr Rosena Allin-Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the supply of methylphenidate.

Will Quince: We are aware of a supply issue affecting one preparation of methylphenidate prolonged-release tablets, namely Xenidate XL 27 milligram tablets. We continue to work with the manufacturer to ensure the issue is resolved quickly. We currently expect further stock to be available in late July 2023. Alternative brands of methylphenidate prolonged-release tablets and other methylphenidate preparations continue to remain available.The Department issued comprehensive communications to the National Health Service in May 2022 which included advice on equivalent alternative brands and how to manage affected patients during this time.

Zopiclone

Dr Rosena Allin-Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the supply of zopiclone.

Will Quince: Zopiclone is available in 3.75 milligram and 7.5 milligram tablet preparations. We are aware that some suppliers of these preparations are experiencing disruption to supply. However, alternative suppliers of zopiclone tablets remain in stock and supplies remain available for patients.

Chlordiazepoxide

Dr Rosena Allin-Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the supply of chlordiazepoxide.

Will Quince: Chlordiazepoxide is available in 5 milligram and 10 milligram capsule preparations. We are aware that some suppliers of these preparations experienced disruption to supplies in November 2022. However, we can confirm that this issue has been resolved and chlordiazepoxide capsules continue to remain available from suppliers who have sufficient stock levels to cover the market.

Health Education

Lloyd Russell-Moyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will take steps to launch a publicity campaign to educate people on self-managing illnesses and on when to access health services.

Neil O'Brien: As part of its ‘Help Us, Help You’ campaign, NHS England has run several campaign phases including marketing activity to increase use of the NHS 111 online service for urgent but non-life-threatening medical needs, and to encourage use of pharmacy for minor conditions including coughs, colds, itchy eyes and earache. Further ‘Help Us, Help You’ campaign phases are being considered.

Care Homes: Prescriptions

Kim Leadbeater: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to reduce delays to the (a) dispensing and (b) delivery of prescriptions to care homes.

Neil O'Brien: Community pharmacies are private businesses that receive funding to provide services in the National Health Service, including dispensing. Some pharmacies choose to offer additional services to their customers, either for free or for an additional fee beyond those commissioned and funded by the NHS. This includes private services such as delivery of prescription medicines to care homes, the details and expectations of which are detailed in individual Service Level Agreements agreed between the care provider and the pharmacy contractor.As part of providing NHS pharmaceutical services, pharmacy contractors are required to dispense prescriptions reasonably promptly. This recognises that they might have to order the medicine in. When they do not have the medicine in stock, they need to inform the patient or carer when they expect to be able to fulfil the prescription. If there is a delay to the original date given, they should update the patient if requested to do so on what the new supply date might be. However, there are occasions when it is not possible to dispense a medicine with reasonable promptness, for example if the product is discontinued or if there is a national supply issue.

General Practitioners: Telemedicine

Lloyd Russell-Moyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to (a) fund and (b) develop IT systems to help GP practices implement telemedicine and online consultations.

Neil O'Brien: NHS England’s GP IT Operating Model, Digital Care Services catalogue and GP IT Futures framework ensures digital systems are modern, integrated, secure and user-friendly. The GP IT Futures framework ensures general practice IT evolves with minimal disruption to care and supports ongoing improvements to procurement, greater choice of nationally accredited suppliers, and products that meet core requirements, standards, and capabilities.NHS England’s Digital First Primary Care programme is supporting practices to optimise the use of digital tools, including by providing transformation funding to help practices implement video and online consultation systems. The Digital First Online Consultation and Video Consultation framework improves the procurement process for Primary Care Networks of such solutions, and is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/gp/digital-first-primary-care/procurement/

Catering: Alcoholic Drinks

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing alcohol labelling for menus in restaurants and cafes in England.

Neil O'Brien: We have committed to consult on whether to introduce calorie labelling on pre-packed alcohol and alcoholic drinks sold in the out-of-home sector.

General Practitioners

Lloyd Russell-Moyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has plans to increase (a) funding and (b) support for general practice to respond to increases in demand for their services.

Neil O'Brien: In the Autumn Statement we committed to publish a full recovery plan for primary care systems. This plan will set out detailed ambitions for recovery to deliver improved access to general practice, so that everyone who needs an appointment with their general practitioner practice can get one within two weeks, and those who need an urgent appointment can get one on the same day. Our primary care recovery plan is being drafted and will be published in the coming weeks.

Pharmacy: Closures

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of the closure of pharmacy practices on health inequalities in (a) Enfield North constituency and (b) the London Borough of Enfield.

Neil O'Brien: The Department closely monitors the market to ensure people in England have good access to National Health Service pharmaceutical services. Despite the increase in pharmacy closures seen in recent years, there are a similar number of pharmacies to ten years ago and 80% of the population live within 20 minutes’ walking distance of a pharmacy. There are relatively more pharmacies in areas of higher deprivation than in areas with lower levels of deprivation within Enfield North constituency and the London Borough of Enfield according to the latest, December 2022, data.

Royal Shrewsbury Hospital: Cancer

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 20 April 2023 to Question 179995, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the waiting time for appointments at the oncology department of Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.

Helen Whately: We have no current plans to make a specific assessment. NHS England assesses the effectiveness of trust waiting time recovery plans, and publishes provider-based cancer waiting times data. Provisional data for February 2023 shows that 86.7% of patients with symptoms that might indicate cancer, who were given an urgent referral by their general practitioner to The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, were given an appointment with a consultant within two weeks of their urgent referral by the trust. This is an improvement from 75.5% in February 2022.

Parkinson's Disease: Enfield

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is taking steps to (a) reduce the waiting times for Parkinson’s diagnosis and (b) increase the number of Parkinson’s specialists in (a) Enfield North constituency and (b) the London Borough of Enfield.

Helen Whately: To help reduce waiting times for diagnosing Parkinson’s disease, in February 2022, NHS England published a delivery plan setting out a clear vision for how the National Health Service will recover and reduce waiting times for elective services, including prioritising diagnosis and treatment. The Government has also commissioned NHS England to develop a long-term plan for the NHS workforce for the next 15 years. The North Central London Integrated Care Board is reviewing community health services provided to residents living in Enfield. The aim of the review is to tackle the current variation in service provision and to set out the minimum expected level of service. For Enfield, this means that there will be additional investment in community services, including the Parkinson’s Service.

Breast Cancer: Screening

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to improve knowledge in (a) patients and (b) providers of the increased risk of (i) cancer going unnoticed in a mammogram if the patient has dense breasts and (ii) breast cancer with the level of density in the breast.

Helen Whately: The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) is aware of the growing interest in the effect of breast density in breast screening services. It reviewed if additional screening with ultrasound after a negative mammography screening in women with dense breast would be beneficial in 2019. The UK NSC did not recommend this modification in the breast screening programme.The UK NSC is now able to consider targeted and risk stratified screening and it is expected that modifications to the breast screening programme will be explored.

Independent Review of Integrated Care Systems

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the timescale is for the Government’s response to the Hewitt Review.

Helen Whately: The Government has now received the Hewitt Review and its wide-ranging recommendations. It is considering them and will respond in due course.

Kidney Diseases: Health Services

Martyn Day: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Major Conditions Strategy will include steps to help tackle chronic kidney disease.

Helen Whately: The Major Conditions Strategy will cover cancers, cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease, dementia, mental ill health and musculoskeletal conditions as these are the six groups of conditions that contribute the most to mortality and morbidity. The steps identified to tackle these conditions may have a positive impact on patients with other conditions, including chronic kidney disease.

Nurses: Pay

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of changes in the level of pay for nurses employed by the NHS on the use of nursing agencies.

Helen Whately: No specific assessment has been made.

Kidney Diseases

Martyn Day: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help reduce kidney disease-related health disparities.

Helen Whately: NHS England has developed the Core20PLUS5 framework to tackle healthcare inequalities. Core20PLUS5 focusses on improving key conditions in the most deprived quintile, 20% of the population, along with ethnic minority communities and socially excluded groups. The Core20PLUS population approach to healthcare inequalities has a focus on risk factors for kidney disease, which include hypertension.

Dialysis Machines: Standards

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of NHS England’s adherence to Service Specification for Haemodialysis.

Helen Whately: NHS England’s regional commissioning teams, jointly with integrated care boards where a specialised service is being jointly commissioned in 2023/24, meet commissioned provider centres on a regular basis, usually monthly, as part of the standard contract review processes. Adherence to all relevant specialised service specifications for that specific provider are reviewed as part of this process, which includes Haemodialysis service specifications where appropriate.NHS England regional commissioning teams will review adherence to both the core and developmental standards included within the service specifications as part of this process and identify any development requirements and put in place any plans for additional support if required.

Dialysis Machines: Energy

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the number of people on home dialysis not receiving reimbursement for energy costs of dialysis.

Helen Whately: No estimate has been made. There are provisions for patients receiving haemodialysis treatment at home to be reimbursed for additional direct energy costs as a result of their treatment. NHS England is proactively working with renal care providers to ensure that utility reimbursement processes are fit for purpose, fair and equitable.

Dialysis Machines: Energy

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of how funds allocated to the reimbursement of utility bills or home dialysis that are not spent by Trusts are used.

Helen Whately: No specific assessment has been made.

Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust

Dr Rosena Allin-Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many times (a) he and (b) other Ministers from his Department have met with the Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust since September 2022.

Dr Rosena Allin-Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many times (a) he and (b) other Ministers from her Department have met with the Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust since September 2022.

Dr Rosena Allin-Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many times (a) he and (b) other Ministers from his Department have met the Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust since September 2022.

Dr Rosena Allin-Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many times (a) he and (b) other Ministers from his Department have met with an NHS Mental Health Trust since September 2022.

Dr Rosena Allin-Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which NHS Mental Health Trusts (a) he and (b) other Ministers from his Department have met with since September 2022.

Maria Caulfield: My Rt hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and other Departmental Ministers regularly engage with external organisations, including National Health Service mental health trusts, on a range of issues relating to health and social care. These are routinely published on GOV.UK.

Palantir: Contracts

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many contracts and for what services his Department has with Palantir.

Will Quince: The Department does not have any current contract with Palantir.

Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency: Finance

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of (a) staffing and (b) funding for the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency in the context of the agency’s new responsibilities under the Windsor Framework.

Will Quince: As part of the Spring Budget, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) will receive £10 million of additional funding for the next two years. This is to support it to accelerate routes for bringing innovative medical products developed in the United Kingdom onto the market, as well as to support the establishment of an international recognition framework, allowing the MHRA to capitalise on the expertise and decision making of trusted regulatory partners. The Government is committed to supporting the MHRA to meet its statutory obligations.

General Practitioners: Closures

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 17 April to Question 176748 on General Practitioners: Closures, if he will publish a list of the 158 practices that have been either closed or merged.

Neil O'Brien: A table showing the 158 practices that closed or merged in England between January 2022 and December 2022 is attached. Where a practice merges with another and becomes a branch, this may be recorded as a closure even though patients may still be able to access services at the location of the original practice. Practices close for a variety of reasons, including mergers or retirement.Practices closed or merged in 2022 (xlsx, 22.2KB)

General Practitioners: ICT

Wes Streeting: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many GP practices use cloud-based telephone solutions.

Neil O'Brien: NHS England have estimated that nearly half of general practices (GPs) currently have cloud-based telephony systems.The updated GP contract for 2023/24 will require practices to move to a cloud-based telephony framework when existing telephony contracts end.

General Practitioners: Telephone Services

Wes Streeting: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent estimate he has made of the number of GP practices with cloud-based telephone solutions.

Neil O'Brien: NHS England have estimated that nearly half of general practices (GPs) currently have cloud-based telephony systems.The updated GP contract for 2023/24 will require practices to move to a cloud-based telephony framework when existing telephony contracts end.

Health Services: Private Sector

James Wild: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will take steps to allow patients to recover the cost of privately funded treatment from the NHS where they were not offered the option of treatment at an independent hospital under the NHS Choice Framework.

Will Quince: There are no current plans to enable patients to recoup costs from the National Health Service via the Patient Choice Framework for individuals’ use of the independent sector. The NHS Constitution allows patients to be treated by an independent sector provider where available as part of their right to choose. We want to make sure this is offered consistently across the country, which is why we will be working with the independent sector, the NHS and primary care to ensure that referral systems include all appropriate independent sector providers, opening up a full suite of available options for patients.

Infectious Diseases: Drug Resistance

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the annual cost to the NHS of (a) drug-resistant infections generally and (b) imported drug-resistant infections resulting from overseas travel.

Will Quince: In 2018, the estimated cost of antimicrobial resistant (AMR) infections to the National Health Service in England was £180 million per year. The English surveillance programme for antimicrobial utilisation and resistance 2022 report estimated that there was an equivalent of 148 severe antibiotic resistant infections a day in England in 2021. The report is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/english-surveillance-programme-antimicrobial-utilisation-and-resistance-espaur-report The UK Health Security Agency estimates that antibiotic resistant infections cost an additional £100 to £500 per infection. There is some evidence that international travel is a risk for the acquisition of antibiotic resistant organisms. However, the cost estimates are not broken down by origin of infection. To address the threat of AMR, in 2019 the Government published its vision for AMR to be contained and controlled by 2040, which is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-20-year-vision-for-antimicrobial-resistance This is supported by the first five-year National Action Plan, also published in 2019, which is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-5-year-action-plan-for-antimicrobial-resistance-2019-to-2024 This tackles AMR through reducing the need for, and unintentional exposure to, antimicrobials, optimising the use of antimicrobials, and investing in innovation, supply and access.

Older People: Advocacy

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make it his policy to appoint a commissioner for older people and ageing.

Neil O'Brien: We have no current plans to make a specific assessment.

Older People: Advocacy

Sally-Ann Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of appointing a commissioner for older people and ageing.

Neil O'Brien: We have no current plans to make a specific assessment.

Health Services: Children

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to reduce waiting time for access to community child health services.

Neil O'Brien: Children’s community child health services are locally commissioned. NHS England review Community Health Service data to explore what can be done nationally to support local provision and commissioning of services.

Smoking: Greater London

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what data his Department holds on the number of people who died from smoking in (a) Enfield and (b) London in each year since 2017.

Neil O'Brien: Data for the number of deaths from smoking in England is estimated in the local tobacco profiles and this is produced for three-year periods. The latest data shows that between 2017 and 2019, in total there were 17,818 deaths in London and 715 in Enfield. This equates to 5,939 yearly deaths and 238 respectively in those areas. Data from 2020 onwards is not yet published. All available data is published at the following link:https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile/tobacco-controlOn the 11 April 2023, the Government announced a package of measures to help more people to stop smoking and realise our Smokefree 2030 ambition.

Dentistry: Staff

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many dentists are still practising in the UK five years after qualifying through the NHS.

Neil O'Brien: The information requested is not available. Dental training in the United Kingdom comprises a dental degree, followed by dental foundation training which qualifies dentists to work in the National Health Service. Once included on the NHS Dental Performers List, no record is maintained by NHS England of the amount of NHS dental activity that each dentist undertakes.

Dental Services: Training

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help ensure that newly qualified dentists working only in private practice (a) receive training and( b) are professionally monitored.

Neil O'Brien: Newly qualified dentists that are registered with the General Dental Council (GDC) are eligible to apply for dental foundation training, which qualifies dentists to work in the National Health Service. All qualified dentists are required to undertake continuing professional development as a condition of their GDC registration.The GDC is the healthcare regulator with statutory responsibility for regulating dentistry, including setting standards that must be met by newly qualified dentists working in the NHS or private practice wishing to be added to the United Kingdom dental register. This includes those only working in private practice.

Dental Services

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve access to (a) dental surgeons and (b) other dentistry professions.

Neil O'Brien: ‘Our plan for patients’, announced in September 2022, outlines how we will meet oral health needs and increase access to National Health Service dental care. These changes have been implemented, including through the issue of NHS England’s guidance, ‘Building dental teams: Supporting the use of skill mix in NHS general dental practice – long guidance’. It supports utilisation of the different disciplines of dental practice professionals in providing NHS dental care, and the removal of administrative barriers for more effective use of this skills-mix. The guidance is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/building-dental-teams-supporting-the-use-of-skill-mix-in-nhs-general-dental-practice-long-guidance/Other changes include improving the 2006 NHS dental contract to ensure fairer remuneration for practices providing complex treatment, enabling practices to deliver more activity than they are contracted to deliver, up to 110% of contract value, and introducing a minimum Unit of Dental Activity value of £23.We are planning additional reforms of the NHS Dental System to be announced later this year, with a separate long-term plan for the NHS workforce, which will include measures to strengthen and build capacity in the NHS dental workforce.

Dentaid: Dental Services

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has had recent discussions with DentAid on providing support to community dental services for vulnerable people.

Neil O'Brien: I have not met with DentAid, but NHS England have been engaging with a broad range of organisations to inform the next stage of the National Health Service dental contract reform to address the challenges facing the delivery of NHS dentistry. From 1 April 2023, commissioning responsibility for primary care dentistry to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to integrated care boards across England. This includes responsibility for working with patient groups and other organisations, such as DentAid, in commissioning Community Dental Services.

Dentistry: Pay

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of addressing shortages of dentists by paying them a salary for their post-foundation year.

Neil O'Brien: The National Health Service contracts with independent dental providers to deliver NHS dental treatment in primary care settings. As a result, pay and conditions are agreed between staff and the practice holding an NHS contract. This provides dental practices with the flexibility to recruit to meet local needs.

Dentistry: Pay

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessments of the potential merits of making dentists salaried through allowing integrated care boards to buy practices.

Neil O'Brien: There are already contracts held by National Health Service trusts for Community Dental Services with salaried dentists. From 1 April 2023, commissioning responsibility for primary care dentistry has been delegated to integrated care boards across England and it is now for them to assess how to best meet the needs of local populations.We will be announcing further contract reform shortly which will include action to improve recruitment and retention of NHS dentists, and the Government is also committed to publishing an NHS workforce plan which will cover dentists and other dental professionals.

BUPA: Dental Services

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the impact of the closure of BUPA dental practices on NHS patients.

Neil O'Brien: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 17 April 2023 to Question 176621.

Dental Services: Finance

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether all funding for dentistry transferred from NHS England to the Integrated Care Boards.

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether all Units of Dental Activity (UDAs) have transferred from NHS England to Integrated Care Boards.

Neil O'Brien: From 1 April 2023, the responsibility for commissioning primary care dentistry to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to all integrated care boards (ICBs) across England. This included the transfer of all funding, Units of Dental Activity and the management responsibility for National Health Service dentistry. ICBs are responsible for having local processes in place to involve patient groups, and for undertaking oral health needs assessments, to identify areas of need and determine the priorities for investment.

Dental Services: Schools

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to support Integrated Care Boards to develop and offer a school-based service of dental inspection and treatment.

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of purchasing mobile dental units to take to schools and care homes.

Neil O'Brien: Integrated care boards will be responsible for having local processes in place to involve patient groups, and for undertaking oral health needs assessments, to identify areas of need and determine the priorities for investment for dental services. The responsibility for provision of dental screening and health promotion sits at a local authority level.Community dental services (CDS) offer dental care to vulnerable patients who are referred by a general practitioner or social worker and cannot be treated in a general National Health Service dental practice or may be in locations that cannot access NHS dental services, which may include care homes. CDS work in schools and other community settings to raise awareness of good oral health care and how this has an impact on the wider health of the population.In September 2022, we announced ‘Our plan for patients’, which outlines how we will meet oral health needs and increase access to dental care across England. These changes will increase access to NHS dentistry whilst making the NHS dental contract more attractive to dental practices. We are holding further discussions with the British Dental Association and other stakeholders for additional reforms of the NHS Dental System, including for school-age children. We will announce our plans later this year.

Dental Services: Training

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent comparative assessment he has made of the level of training provided to dentists in (a) primary and (b) secondary care; and if he will make a statement.

Neil O'Brien: No specific assessment has been made.

Pharmacy: Drugs

Janet Daby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the impact of the rising cost of medicines on community pharmacy contractors’ ability to deliver local pharmaceutical services.

Neil O'Brien: The Government commits £2.592 billion per year to community pharmacy. This is made up of £1.792 billion in fees and allowances and £800 million from medicine margin. Medicine margin is the difference between what a pharmacy contractor pays for a medicine and what they are reimbursed by the National Health Service when they dispense the product.The Department assesses the overall medicine margin across all products through a quarterly medicine margin survey. This data is used to calculate the average amount of medicine margin retained by pharmacy contractors during the year and to adjust reimbursement prices to ensure that the £800 million medicines margin is delivered to pharmacy contactors. This ensures that higher or lower prices of medicines do not impact on community pharmacy contractors’ overall level of funding and therefore their ability to deliver pharmaceutical services.Additionally, a one-off investment in the sector of £100 million across 2022/23 and 2023/24 was announced in September last year.

NHS: Pay

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the impact of the NHS Pay Settlement is on the Public Health Grant for 2023-24; and whether that Grant is a real-terms increase from 2022-23.

Neil O'Brien: For the 2023/24 pay offer announced on 16 March 2023, the Department has already made funding available for up to 3.5% for pay in 2023/24 in its existing budgets. The Department is working with the Treasury to ensure it has the money it needs to fully fund this pay offer, which will include additional funding, looking across Departmental budgets and wider public spending. In 2023/24, the total Public Health Grant to local authorities will be £3.529 billion, a real-terms increase of 0.7% relative to 2022/23.

British Pregnancy Advisory Service: Standards

Sir John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the Care Quality Commission's (CQC) inspection processes at (a) the BPAS Bournemouth clinic following its recent rating of requires improvement and (b) other BPAS clinics in the previous year; and whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of requiring BPAS clinics that do not meet the CQC's standards to close until the requirements have been implemented.

Maria Caulfield: The Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspected the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) Bournemouth in June 2022, rating the service ‘Requires Improvement’ for several reasons, including risks to patient safety and governance. In February 2023, CQC conducted a focused follow-up inspection to check on improvements, particularly those highlighted in the Section 29 warning notice, issued as part of the 2022 inspection, as requiring significant improvement. CQC also reviewed progress where breaches of regulation were identified. They found that systems and processes had improved and that the service was making progress against their action plan where breaches of regulation were identified.CQC continues to monitor the service closely, working with system partners where concerns are identified. Departmental officials also have regular meetings with the CQC to ensure women continue to receive a safe and high-quality abortion service. CQC has a range of enforcement powers which it uses on a proportional basis to keep people using services safe. This includes the ability to close services in the most serious of cases. The following table shows BPAS clinics’ ratings within the last 12 months.BPAS clinicRatingBPAS - BasingstokeRequires improvementBPAS - Birmingham CentralGoodBPAS - Birmingham SouthRequires improvementBPAS - DoncasterRequires improvementBPAS - London EastGoodBPAS - LutonGoodBPAS - MerseysideRequires improvementBPAS - MiddlesbroughRequires improvementBPAS - NorwichRequires improvementBPAS - Oxford CentralGoodBPAS - Portsmouth CentralGoodBPAS - SandwellRequires improvementBPAS - Stratford upon AvonRequires improvementBPAS Leicester CityGoodBPAS Northampton CentralGoodBPAS ReadingRequires improvement

Mental Health Services: Children and Young People

Judith Cummins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the average waiting time from referral to second appointment was for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services service users for (a) all pathways and (b) the neurodevelopment diagnostic pathway for autism and ADHD between April 2022 and January 2023.

Maria Caulfield: The information requested is not available, as the data for this period has not been validated due to being impacted by a cyber incident that affected several providers.

Menopause: Health Services

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he has taken to improve NHS services for Menopause.

Maria Caulfield: The menopause is a priority area within the Women’s Health Strategy, and the Government and National Health Service are implementing an ambitious programme of work to improve menopause care so all women can access the support they need.The NHS England National Menopause Care Improvement Programme is working to improve clinical menopause care in England and reduce disparities in access to treatment. The NHS is also developing an education and training package on menopause for healthcare professionals.We have reduced the cost of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) prescriptions through a bespoke HRT prescription pre-payment certificate. From 1 April 2023, women can pay a one-off charge equivalent to two single prescription charges, £19.30, for all their HRT prescriptions for a year. We have also taken decisive action to ensure supplies of HRT continue to be available for everyone who needs them.

Menopause: Health Services

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has had recent discussions with NHS England on NHS treatments available for menopause.

Maria Caulfield: My Rt hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, meets regularly with NHS England to discuss a range of issues.

Menopause: Health Services

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of NHS services relating to the menopause in (a) the London Borough of Hounslow, (b) London and (c) England.

Maria Caulfield: No specific assessment has been made.

Pethidine

Ben Lake: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of pethidine supplies in April 2023.

Ben Lake: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he has taken with the Welsh Government to secure increased supplies of pethidine.

Will Quince: We are aware of supply issues with pethidine 50 milligram tablets until October 2023. However, alternative oral opioid analgesics remain available and clinicians who wish to continue to prescribe pethidine 50 milligram tablets can access these from specialist importers. Advice has been communicated to National Health Service healthcare professionals via the Specialist Pharmacy Service website. Pethidine injection remains available also.While health is a devolved matter, we work closely with devolved Governments, suppliers, NHS England, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, and other stakeholders to ensure patients continue to have access to the medicines they need.

Cancer: Drugs

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the removal of the end-of-life modifier in technology appraisals by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence on the launch of new cancer medicines in the UK.

Helen Whately: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published its updated manual for health technology evaluations in January 2022 and has introduced a number of changes to make its methods and processes fairer, faster and more consistent. This includes the introduction of a broader severity modifier in place of the end-of-life modifier. Analysis carried out by NICE in the development of the modifier indicates that the vast majority of cancer medicines that would be eligible for the end-of-life modifier would also be eligible for a weighting under the severity modifier.

Genito-urinary Medicine: Clinics

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what data his Department holds on the number of sexual health clinics closed in England in (a) 2021 and (b) 2022.

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what data his Department holds on the number of sexual health clinics closed in (a) 2021 and (b) 2022 in each local authority in England.

Neil O'Brien: Local authorities in England are responsible for commissioning comprehensive open access to most sexual and reproductive health services, including management of sexual health clinics, through the public health grant funded at £3.5 billion in 2023/24.  It is for individual local authorities to decide their spending priorities based on an assessment of local need, and to commission the service lines that best suit their population. The Department does not hold data on the number of sexual health clinics closed in England as a whole or in individual local authorities.

Huntington's Disease

Dr Rupa Huq: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support people living with Huntington’s disease.

Helen Whately: NHS England plans to improve the support for Huntington’s disease and other neurological conditions through continued developments to neuroscience services.Specialised elements of neurology care are currently provided through the 25 specialised neurological treatment centres across England to ensure that people with more complex health needs, including those with Huntington’s, receive the best possible care and support.The NHS England Neuroscience Transformation Programme is developing a number of optimal pathways for neurology services. The transformation programme will provide integrated care systems with the tools, information and resources that they will need to drive the transformation in their neurology services, as they take on joint or delegated responsibility for commissioning specialised neurology services from April 2023 onwards. In addition, the neuropsychiatry service specification is in development. When finalised, this will outline the multi-disciplinary approach to caring for patients with complex neurological conditions who require specialised assessment and mental health support.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Social Media

Layla Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether there was a cost to the public purse relating to the FCDO cartoons published on his official Twitter account on the event of his visit to Japan for the G7 Foreign Ministers' meeting.

David Rutley: The FCDO cartoon that was published on the Foreign Secretary's official Twitter account on 16 April was created by the FCDO digital team with no external cost to the public.

Mohammad Fahad al-Qahtani

Margaret Ferrier: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has held discussions with his counterparts in Saudi Arabia on the detention of Saudi human rights defender Mohammed Fahad Al-Qahtani.

David Rutley: The Minister of State for the Middle East, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, has raised this case with the Saudi authorities, alongside a range of human rights issues, most recently during his visit to the Kingdom in February.

Israel: Palestinians

Cat Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the treatment of Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli prisons.

Cat Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policies of the use of administrative detention by Israel against Palestinians.

David Rutley: We remain concerned about Israel's extensive use of administrative detention which, according to international law, should be used only when security makes this absolutely necessary. We continue to call on the Israeli authorities to comply with their obligations under international law. The UK is a constructive partner to Israel and we will continue to raise these issues with the Israeli authorities at every opportunity.

Turkey: Earthquakes

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the impact of the recent earthquakes in Turkey on the upcoming parliamentary elections in that country that are expected to be held on 14 May 2023.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: We are monitoring the run-up to the 2023 presidential and parliamentary elections in Turkey on May 14 and are in regular discussion with the Turkish electoral authorities, the government, opposition parties, civil society groups and the Turkish media. We note that Turkey is making wide-ranging contingency plans to enable voters affected or displaced by the February earthquakes to cast their ballots. We have stressed the need for the elections to be carried out in a free and fair manner.

Tunisia: Political Prisoners

Margaret Ferrier: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his counterparts in Tunisia on the arrest and detention of representatives of the political opposition and civil society in that country; and if he will make a statement.

David Rutley: On 18 April, the Minister of State for North Africa, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon made clear the UK's view that the recent wave of arrests and restrictions on political opposition in Tunisia is eroding the space for political plurality, urging the Tunisian Government to respect the principles and values of an open and democratic society. Lord Ahmad also raised our issues over the arrests directly with Tunisian Chargé d'Affaires on 23 February, as did His Majesty's Ambassador to Tunisia with Foreign Minister Nabil Ammar on 23 February. The UK believes in the importance of space for legitimate political opposition, civil society, strengthening human rights and including all voices in building resilient and successful democracies. The UK is a constructive partner to Tunisia, and we will continue to raise these important issues with the Tunisian authorities at every available opportunity. We continue to monitor the political and human rights situation in Tunisia closely.

Turkey: Earthquakes

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will publish a list of the organisations his Department has given funds to in Turkey since the earthquake on 9 February 2023.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: The UK Government provided bilateral assistance to the Turkish authorities including International Search and Rescue, Ministry of Defence Field Hospital, tents, blankets and hygiene kits. In addition, the UK is funding the following organisations to provide relief and support humanitarian assistance to earthquake affected populations: UK-Med Emergency Medical Team; Humanitarian 2 Humanitarian Network; United Nations Development Programme; United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees; United Nations Children's Fund; British Red Cross; International Federation of the Red Cross and Crescent. Through Standby Partnerships, additional technical expertise is provided to UN agencies implementing humanitarian response activities in Turkey.

Turkey: Earthquakes

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will publish the minutes of any meetings held with his Turkish counterparts since the earthquake on 9 February 2023.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: The Foreign Secretary has met or spoken to his counterpart several times since 6 February 2023. In addition, Minister Andrew Mitchell visited southern Turkey on 19 February to see the response to the earthquakes first-hand. The Minister for Europe, Leo Docherty, also met with the Turkish Disaster Response Authority during his visit to Turkey in March. We do not routinely publish records of Ministerial meetings.

Malawi: Development Aid

Ms Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made an estimate of the funding required for (a) reconstruction and (b) livelihood restoration over the next two years following 2023 storm-related damage in Malawi.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: The Government of Malawi is leading the work to calculate the funds required for reconstruction and livelihood restoration following Cylcone Freddy. The Government of Malawi is doing this in consultation with development partners including the UK. The UK government provided £1 million to support an initial emergency response which included (i) deploying a 27-person team of UK Search & Rescue experts, (ii) donating specialist equipment, (ii) supporting a UK funded Emergency Medical Team, and (iii) providing shelter and water purification kits.

Sudan: Peace Negotiations

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make representations to the UN Special Representative Volker Perthe to take steps to help negotiate a ceasefire that is respected by both parties in Sudan.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: We are pursuing all diplomatic avenues to end the violence and de-escalate tensions. The Foreign Secretary and I are working with international partners to engage all parties in Sudan. The UK has joined US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, UN Secretary-General António Guterres and others in calling for an immediate cessation to the fighting, and we welcome the ceasefire in effect from midnight on 25 April. Statements from across the international community continue to call for an end to hostilities, including a UK-led UN Security Council (UNSC) statement. At the UK's request the UNSC met on the afternoon of 25 April to discuss the situation in Sudan. The Foreign Secretary and I led calls with the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, and regional groupings to discuss the situation and coordinate a response. We continue to explore opportunities to engage with Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces senior leadership.

Turkey: Earthquakes

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the deployment of British funded aid in Turkey to marginalised and minority groups since the earthquake on 9 February 2023.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: The UK's priority was to provide life-saving support to those in need in Turkey and Syria, regardless of their background. We are committed to learning from our own experience and that of others as part of a constant review of global humanitarian responses. That is why we have funded independent agencies to report on the response, including the promotion of inclusion and accountability to affected populations.

Turkey: Humanitarian Aid

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much funding his Department has pledged for (a) humanitarian, (b) engineering personnel and (c) other support to Turkey over the next (i) six and (ii) 12 months.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: The FCDO has committed £12 million for a humanitarian response to earthquakes in Turkey from February 2023 to March 2024. No funding has been committed by the FCDO for engineering personnel to Turkey since the earthquakes in February.

Turkey: Earthquakes

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what plans his Department has for long term support to the recovery effort in Turkey following the recent earthquakes in that country.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: The UK is a committed humanitarian donor globally and responded quickly to the devastating earthquakes to provide life-saving support to the people of Turkey and Syria. As we move out of the emergency response phase, the UK will continue to stand in solidarity with Turkey and to look at what more we can do to support the longer term recovery effort.

Syria and Turkey: Earthquakes

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will meet with the hon. Member for Enfield North to discuss the response to the recent earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: An FCDO Minister would be willing to meet the Honourable Member to discuss these issues.

Syria and Turkey: Earthquakes

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of support available for Kurdish people following the recent earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: The UK has sent thousands of life-saving items to Turkey and Syria, including tents and thermal blankets and worked in coordination with Turkish authorities, United Nations and NGO partners to ensure aid reached those who are most in need, regardless of ethnicity. We have not made a separate assessment of support specifically for Kurdish people.

Egypt: Detainees

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he with hold discussions with his counterparts in Egypt on releasing Alaa Abdel Fattah, Mohamed Baker and Neama Hisham from detention.

David Rutley: The UK Government has consistently expressed disappointment about the detentions of Alaa Abd El-Fattah and his co-defendants Mohamed El-Baqer and Mohamed Ibrahim, known as Mohamed 'Oxygen', with the Egyptian authorities since their arrest and detention in September 2019, including most recently on 4 April when Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon discussed human rights with FM Shoukry in Cairo. Neama Hisham was detained on 17 April and released on the same day.

Paradise Golf and Beach Resort

Kirsten Oswald: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Moroccan counterpart on the Paradise golf and beach resort.

David Rutley: The UK remains committed to providing support where possible to British investors who lost their investments as a result of the Paradise Golf & Beach Resort property fraud. His Majesty's Ambassador to Morocco regularly raises the issue with senior interlocutors where appropriate, and is pursuing calls with relevant senior officials in Tangier to press for further action. In the interests of the British nationals who invested in the scheme in good faith, we will continue to urge the Moroccan authorities to find a resolution to this dispute as quickly as possible.

Somalia: Capital Punishment

Patrick Grady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his counterparts in Somalia on reports of the use of the death penalty, including for teenagers, in the Puntland state of that country.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: The UK Government is firmly opposed to the death penalty in all circumstances and in every country. Somalia is party to the International Convention on the Rights of the Child, which forbids executions of minors, including those who were minors at the time of their alleged crimes. We continue to lobby Somali authorities to uphold their commitments under the Convention and withhold from dispensing the death penalty to those underage. This includes Puntland, where we raised this issue with the Minister of Interior on 19 February. Children remain under threat across Somalia, including from recruitment into armed conflict, and we continue to lobby the Government to pass the Child Rights Bill to provide a foundation for children's rights in Somalia and encourage accountability.

Sudan: Sanctions

Sir Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of imposing additional sanctions on (a) persons and (b) other entities involved in the violence between military groups in Sudan.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: Our priority is to end the violence and de-escalate tensions. The UK Government keeps all sanctions regimes under review, however we do not speculate on future designations as to do so could reduce their impact.

Taiwan: Politics and Government

Sir Iain Duncan Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what his policy is on (a) the status of Taiwan as a state and (b) peace in Taiwan.

Anne-Marie Trevelyan: he UK's longstanding position on Taiwan has not changed. The UK acknowledges the position of the Chinese Government that Taiwan is a province of China. The UK has no diplomatic relations with Taiwan but a strong, unofficial relationship, based on deep and growing ties in a wide range of areas, and underpinned by shared democratic values. The UK has a clear interest in peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. We consider the Taiwan issue one to be settled peacefully by the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait through constructive dialogue, without the threat or use of force or coercion. We do not support any unilateral attempts to change the status quo.

Turkey: Humanitarian Aid

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has provided engineering personnel to Turkey since the earthquakes in February 2023.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: The FCDO has not provided engineering personnel to Turkey since the earthquakes in February. The UK will continue to stand in solidarity with Turkey and to look at what more we can do to support the longer term recovery effort.

Turkey: Earthquakes

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has raised the distribution of aid in Turkey since the recent earthquakes in that country with his Turkish counterparts.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: The Foreign Secretary has engaged frequently with his Turkish counterpart, including on the distribution of aid in Turkey. Minister Andrew Mitchell visited southern Turkey on 19 February to see the response to the earthquakes first-hand. The Minister for Europe, Leo Docherty, also met with the Turkish Disaster Response Authority during his visit to Turkey in March.

Tibet: Languages

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to take steps to discuss the use of Tibetan language in schools within that country with his relevant international counterparts at the next G7 summit.

Anne-Marie Trevelyan: We are aware of reports that Tibetan parents are being coerced into sending their children to boarding schools in Tibet with no access to traditional Tibetan learning. We continue to raise the situation in Tibet with the Chinese authorities, and in March, we raised the issue of boarding schools in our Item 4 statement at the UN Human Rights Council (HRC). We also coordinate with partners to draw international attention to the human rights situation in Tibet. In June 2022, a UK led lobbying effort helped to secure the support of 46 other countries for a joint statement at the HRC which highlighted the situation in Tibet, and called on the Chinese authorities to abide by their human rights obligations. On 18 April a G7 Foreign Ministers Communiqué noted that all G7 countries continue to raise concerns with China on human rights violations, including in Tibet. We will continue to work with international partners and press China to cease human rights violations.

Turkey: Earthquakes

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the ability for aid to pass freely (a) into and (b) around Turkey following the recent earthquakes.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: The UK is working to ensure that aid reaches those who are most in need as quickly and efficiently as possible. We are working in close coordination with the Turkish authorities, the United Nations, international humanitarian agencies and non-governmental organization partners to ensure that aid makes it to those who are most in need, including vulnerable and minority communities.

China: Bay of Bengal

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment has he made of reported Chinese militarisation of islands in the Bay of Bengal.

Anne-Marie Trevelyan: HMG are aware of reports concerning alleged militarisation of islands in the Bay of Bengal and we continue to monitor the situation closely. The UK fully believes in a free and open Indo Pacific and is working with partners in the region to support freedom of navigation in the Indian Ocean.

Sudan: Armed Conflict

Sir Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps he is taking to support the de-escalation of violence between military groups in Sudan.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: Our immediate objective is to stop the violence through securing ceasefires, humanitarian corridors and protection of civilians. We are pursuing all diplomatic avenues to end the violence and de-escalate tensions. The Foreign Secretary and I [Minister Mitchell] are regularly in touch with international partners to engage all parties in Sudan.We strongly support the US-led 72 hour ceasefire initiative. Statements from across the international community continue to call for an end to hostilities, including a UK-led UN Security Council statement. The Foreign Secretary and I [Minister Mitchell] have held calls with key partners to discuss the situation and coordinate international response - including the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, regional groupings and the UN Security Council. We are working closely with officials on the ground to establish facts and call on all sides of the conflict to protect civilians and allow humanitarian access.

Sudan: Humanitarian Aid

Darren Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that people can access humanitarian aid in Sudan.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: The humanitarian situation in Sudan is worsening dramatically. The UK's top humanitarian priority is to secure operational security guarantees and workable humanitarian access. There can be no international aid without safe and reliable access. We will work with international partners to support the UN to be able to scale-up delivery within Sudan so they can move quickly to respond if and when the access situation improves. The UK will support a well-coordinated and prioritised regional response.

Sudan: British Nationals Abroad

Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support British citizens in Sudan following violence and damage to airport infrastructure in April 2023.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: The safety of all British nationals in Sudan is our priority. The FCDO is working 24/7 to support remaining nationals. The situation remains volatile and plans may change depending on the security situation. All eligible British nationals who plan to leave Sudan are encouraged to travel to the British Evacuation Centre as soon as possible. Flights leave from Wadi Saeedna airfield. We can only evacuate British passport holders and immediate family members (spouse/partner and children under 18 years old) with existing UK entry clearance. More than 536 people have now been evacuated from Sudan on 6 UK flights as of 9pm last night (26 April).

Cyprus: Politics and Government

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with the leaders of both communities in Cyprus on establishing a sustainable, bi-zonal and bi-communal federal political settlement in the period since June 2021.

Leo Docherty: We remain committed to supporting UN efforts to reach a just and lasting Cyprus settlement, within the UN parameters based on the model of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation with political equality and we engage all parties on this. The UK has held high level meetings as recently as last month, including with President Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Tatar, following the elections in February.

Pakistan: Demonstrations

Sarah Owen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has held discussions with Pakistani authorities on potential incidences of violence against peaceful protestors.

Leo Docherty: Political protests are an internal matter for the Government of Pakistan. There is no place for violence in politics, and the UK regularly engages the Government of Pakistan at a senior level on the need to uphold the rule of law and respect human rights. On 30 January, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister for South Asia and Minister responsible for Human Rights, discussed the human rights situation with Pakistan's Minister for Human Rights Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada.

Pakistan: Politics and Government

Sarah Owen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policies of (a) the removal of the former Prime Minister Imran Khan and (b) other recent developments affecting democratic processes in Pakistan.

Leo Docherty: We respect Pakistan's constitution and do not interfere in its domestic political affairs. We engage regularly with the Government of Pakistan to advance our shared priorities and interests, including on press freedom, human rights and upholding democratic norms.

UK Special Representative for Climate Change

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 18 April 2023 to Question 177707 on Pedestrian Areas: Parking, what assessment he has made of the impact of failing to appoint an immediate successor to the Special Representative for Climate Change.

Anne-Marie Trevelyan: Whilst an immediate successor to the Special Representative has not been appointed, our resource and senior representation within the FCDO on climate and environment has grown significantly since the creation of the FCDO. Climate change remains an area of utmost importance to this government and to the Foreign Secretary. The UK continues to deliver impact through the breadth of its climate policy, programme and diplomatic work. Since 2011 we have supported over 95 million people cope with the effects of climate change, provided over 58 million people with improved access to clean energy and reduced or avoided over 68 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions.

UK Special Representative for Climate Change

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 18 April 2023 to Question 177707 on Pedestrian Areas: Parking, when he expects a successor to the Special Representative for Climate Change to be in place in the absence of an immediate appointment.

Anne-Marie Trevelyan: There are no immediate plans to appoint a new Special Representative for Climate Change. However, our resource and senior representation within the FCDO on climate and environment has grown significantly since the creation of the FCDO. Climate change remains an area of utmost importance to this government and to the Foreign Secretary.

Development Aid: Climate Change

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 20 April 2023 to Question 180766 on Development Aid: Climate Change, how much and what proportion of the £11.6 billion in international climate finance announced in 2019 has been delivered.

Anne-Marie Trevelyan: In financial year 2021/2022 the UK spent over £1.4 billion International Climate Finance (ICF). In line with our international obligations the details of our ICF spending for 2021 and 2022 will be published through the United National Framework Convention on Climate Change in due course. Previous data covering 2019 and 2020 ICF spending can be found here: Eighth National Communication and Fifth Biennial Report. ICF spend data for the financial year 2022/2023 is not yet available.

Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla

Kenny MacAskill: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 24 April to Question 181313, on Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla, whether the invitation for the Head of State of Saudi Arabia was issued to a named individual.

David Rutley: Invitations were issued to the Heads of State of all nations with whom the UK has full diplomatic relations, with a small number of exceptions. Realms and Overseas Territories also received invitations in line with their constitutional arrangements. The invitation denoted the role of the invitee, and roles to which the invitation could be delegated.

Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

Manufacturing Industries

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she plans to take steps increase the UK’s fill and finish manufacturing capacity.

George Freeman: Fill-finish capacity is crucial to the UK’s health resilience. Since the pandemic the government has invested over £395 million to scale up our manufacturing capabilities, including a partnership with Wockhardt to successfully fill-finish the AstraZeneca vaccine. Last year the Government launched the Life Sciences Innovative Manufacturing Fund to support a wide range of life sciences manufacturing investments, such as the £151 million project by Pharmaron that includes expansion of their fill-finish capabilities. There has also been significant recent private investment, such as Thermo Fisher Scientific’s £70 million expansion to provide sterile formulation and fill-finish for the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine.

Innovation: Urban Areas

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she is taking steps with Cabinet colleagues to help ensure that cities and towns which do not have a research-intensive university (a) benefit economically from innovation and (b) create innovation-driven jobs.

George Freeman: In order to support places across the UK to fulfil their potential for innovation, the Government has pledged to increase domestic public investment in R&D outside the Greater South East by at least 40% by 2030, and by at least a third over the spending review period. UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) invests across the UK with £25.1 billion allocated for 2022-2025. Innovate UK’s Launchpad programme is an innovation cluster development programme with up to £7.5 million funding available for each Launchpad for business-led innovation projects, such as the pilot in Tees Valley. Additionally, UKRI's Strength in Places Fund provides opportunities for innovation across the UK.

Department for Science, Innovation and Technology: Staff

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department holds data on the (a) percentage and (b) total number of staff in the Department who have (i) a STEM degree or (ii) a STEM related employment history.

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department has a target for the (a) number and (b) percentage of staff employed within the Department who are science, engineering or technology experts.

George Freeman: Employees of Department for Science, Innovation and Technology employees remain employed by their previous departments until the new department is established by a Transfer of Functions order.The information requested is not held centrally by BEIS or DCMS and can only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Science and Technology

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether money from the public purse spent on the proposed Pioneer prospectus would count towards the Government’s target of £20 billion of spending on research and development investment by 2024-25.

George Freeman: This Government has recommitted to increasing public expenditure on R&D to £20 billion per annum by 2024/2025 - a cash increase of approximately a third compared to 2021/22. This includes funding for the UK’s association to Horizon Europe if the UK can agree fair and appropriate terms with the EU, or its alternative, Pioneer, if the UK is unable to secure association.

Broadband: Fibre Optics

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what the average waiting time was for the installation of fibre-optic broadband for businesses in (a) Enfield North constituency, (b) the London Borough of Enfield, (c) London and (d) England in the latest period for which data is available.

Julia Lopez: The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology is committed to delivering nationwide gigabit connectivity as soon as possible. By 2025, the Government is targeting a minimum of 85% gigabit-capable coverage. Today, 75% of premises can access gigabit-capable networks.Whilst we monitor the progress of the gigabit roll-out, the Department does not hold data related to the average waiting time for the installation of fibre-optic broadband given the commercial nature of that information. It is worth mentioning that it is difficult to comment on an average because it may vary depending on the Communications Provider. In order to gauge the average waiting time for the installation of fibre-optic broadband, we encourage you to contact some of the various providers that offer services in Enfield North constituency; the London Borough of Enfield; and London, respectively.

Broadband: Enfield

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what estimate her Department has made of (a) the number of businesses and (b) the number of businesses without fibre-optic broadband in (i) Enfield North constituency and (ii) the London Borough of Enfield.

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many businesses in (a) Enfield North constituency and (b) the London Borough of Enfield have requested fibre-optic broadband and do not currently have it.

Julia Lopez: Whilst the Government does not hold data on the number of businesses at a constituency level, data from London Councils state that the number of registered businesses in the London Borough of Enfield is 14,285.As Enfield is an urban area, it is not in receipt of any of the £5bn Project Gigabit funding. As such, the Government does not hold data at a constituency nor a borough level on the number of businesses that (a) are without fibre-optic broadband; and (b) who have requested fibre-optic broadband and do not currently have it. This is because it is a service that is delivered commercially by the private sector.The Government is committed to delivering nationwide gigabit connectivity as soon as possible. By 2025 the Government is targeting a minimum of 85% gigabit-capable coverage.Today, fewer than 8% of all premises in Enfield North and 8.5% of premises in the London Borough of Enfield do not have access to a gigabit-capable network; meaning the overwhelming majority - 92% of premises in Enfield North and 91.5% of premises in Enfield - already have gigabit coverage.

Broadband

Peter Aldous: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that full fibre broadband is available to all properties.

Julia Lopez: I am pleased to share that more than 98% premises in Waveney can access a Superfast connection, which is above the national average. Almost 61% of premises in Waveney have access to a full fibre, gigabit-capable connection.The competitive and pro-growth regulatory environment we have created is enabling suppliers to expand their networks to reach more homes and businesses. Over 75% of UK premises now have access to a gigabit-capable broadband connection, up from just 6% in January 2019.The Government is committed to working with broadband suppliers to ensure 85% of UK premises can access gigabit-capable broadband by 2025, and then for nationwide coverage by 2030. We are on track to achieve our target.Project Gigabit is the Government’s £5 billion mission to deliver lightning-fast, reliable broadband across the UK. More than £1.2 billion of public subsidy has already been made available to broadband suppliers to extend their gigabit-capable networks to rural and hard to reach parts of the country. We have awarded eight contracts to date, and we have launched a further 18 procurements, which combined will deliver fast, reliable broadband to up to 850,000 premises that would not be reached by suppliers’ commercial rollout plans alone.Support is also available through the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme, which provides a subsidy of up to £4,500 for residents and businesses in rural areas towards the cost of installing gigabit-capable broadband via local community broadband projects.

Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

Warm Home Discount Scheme

Kim Leadbeater: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to support people who are unable to access the Warm Home Discount as they do not have an electricity bill in their name.

Amanda Solloway: Under the Warm Home Discount scheme, the majority of eligible households are identified through data matching and are provided the rebate on their energy bill automatically. Therefore, only the named bill payer can receive a rebate.Energy suppliers can also provide additional support to households through the Industry Initiatives element of the scheme, through measures such as financial assistance, debt write-off, and energy efficiency. This support can be provided to households, irrespective of whether a person is named on the electricity bill.The Government has also provided extensive help through the Energy Price Guarantee, the £400 Energy Bills Support Scheme and further cost of living payments to low-income and vulnerable households.

Carbon Budgets

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs on (a) the potential impact of the agriculture and land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF) sector emissions reduction targets in the Carbon Budget Delivery Plan on that sector and (b) the ability of the sector to deliver on those targets.

Graham Stuart: Appendix D of the Carbon Budget Delivery Plan published in March this year sets out sectoral summaries of delivery confidence, looking at carbon reduction policies across different sectors of the economy, including Natural Resources (which includes agriculture and land use).

Renewable Energy

Geraint Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department is taking steps to help increase investment in renewable energy sources to the same level as in the oil and gas industry.

Graham Stuart: The renewable and oil and gas sectors will continue to make vital contributions to achieving the Government’s economic, energy security and low carbon ambitions. Examples of how the Government is incentivising investment in renewables are through the flagship contracts for difference scheme with the competition for allocation round 5 currently underway, and generous capital allowances announced at the recent Budget.

National Grid: East of England

Sir Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if his Department will make an estimate of the cost of tackling environmental issues arising from (a) the East Anglia Green Energy Enablement project and (b) offshore alternatives to that project.

Andrew Bowie: Transmission network operators, in this case National Grid Electricity Transmission are responsible for delivering network infrastructure necessary to meet consumer needs. Those operators must assess the environmental impacts of the proposals, including any proposed mitigation designs and any consideration of alternatives. Any mitigation forms part of project proposals examined during the consenting process. The cost of any mitigation is the responsibility of the operator with the regulator potentially having a role depending on the extent of mitigation.. Given the Secretary of State’s role in the consenting process for nationally significant infrastructure, no assessment has been made by the Department.

National Grid: East of England

Sir Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent estimate he has made of when the review announced by the electricity system operator of the offshore alternative to the East Anglia Green Energy Enablement project will be (a) concluded and (b) published.

Andrew Bowie: The upcoming independent review into onshore energy infrastructure in East Anglia is the responsibility of Electricity System Operator (ESO) who have set the parameters and timescales for the study. This is not a statutory consultation or assessment. The study’s terms of reference committed to commence work once the publication of results from the Offshore Coordination Support Scheme are announced, meaning a precise date is not currently feasible. The ESO then expect to have preliminary results after approximately three months.

National Grid: East of England

Sir Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent discussions he has had with ESO-National Grid on the timing of the next consultation on the East Anglia Green Energy Enablement project; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Bowie: National Grid ESO is the electricity systems operator. The timing of any consultation on planning is a matter for the developer responsible for East Anglia Green, National Grid Electricity Transmission, to determine. At this stage National Grid Electricity Transmission has not undertaken statutory consultation for this project, and it is my understanding that NGET have committed to carefully consider the recommendations of the independent ESO study ahead of their statutory consultation for this project. Given the quasi-judicial role of the Secretary of State in making planning decisions for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects, it is not appropriate to comment further.

Electricity Generation

Sir Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent estimate his Department has made of the level of electricity generating capacity that will be required in each year between 2023 and 2050; what the minimum generating margin will be in each of those years; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Bowie: Net Zero consistent scenarios for the power sector are published as Annex O of the Energy and Emission Projections.[1] In line with National Grid targets, these scenarios are configured to ensure a minimum lost load of 3 hours in any given year. [1] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/energy-and-emissions-projections-net-zero-strategy-baseline-partial-interim-update-december-2021

Alternative Fuel Payments: Second Homes

Kenny MacAskill: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many applications for an Alternative Fuel Payment have been rejected because they are for second or holiday homes.

Amanda Solloway: Data is still being collected regarding the Alternative Fuel Payment Alternative Fund, and the Department will be publishing transparency data in due course.

Renewable Energy

Geraint Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of implementing a voluntary contract for difference scheme.

Graham Stuart: Allocating Contracts for Difference to operational electricity generators is one of a series of options being assessed as part of the Department’s wider Review of Electricity Market Arrangements (REMA) and an update will follow in due course.

Energy: Older People and Vulnerable Adults

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has had recent discussions with energy providers on treating elderly and vulnerable customers with care.

Amanda Solloway: Energy policy is a devolved matter in Northern Ireland, which has a separate regulator and supply market from Great Britain, so the UK Government does not routinely have discussions with suppliers in Northern Ireland. Ministers and officials meet regularly with suppliers in Great Britain to discuss a range of issues. Independent regulator Ofgem require energy suppliers to support vulnerable customers and the provision of additional services through a Priority Services Register. Ofgem monitors compliance with their rules protecting vulnerable consumers.

Energy Equity Commission Bill

Patrick Grady: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will publish a response to Early Day Motion 470, Proposed Energy Equity Commission Bill, tabled on 17 October 2022.

Graham Stuart: While the Government will not be publishing a response to EDM470, the Government is investing £12 billion in Help to Heat schemes to make sure homes are warmer and cheaper to heat. In March we announced up to £1.4 billion allocated to private and social homes as part of the next phases of the Home Upgrade Grant and Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund. The Powering Up Britain Energy Security Plan sets out how the Government will power the UK through affordable, home-grown, clean energy: ensuring Britain has among the cheapest wholesale electricity prices in Europe by 2035 and moving towards energy independence through a potential doubling of Britain’s electricity generation capacity by the late 2030s. As set out in the Autumn Statement, the Government is developing a new approach to consumer protection in energy markets, which will apply from April 2024 onwards.

Recycling: Businesses and Households

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has had recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the timing of the response to the consultation entitled Consistency in Household and Business Recycling in England, published on 7 May 2021; and if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the proposals within that consultation on carbon emissions.

Graham Stuart: The Domestic and Economic Affairs (Energy, Climate and Net Zero) Cabinet Committee and supporting governance structures provide forums to discuss how different sectors, including waste, contribute to our carbon budgets. My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero is the deputy chair of this Committee, which my Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs attends. The Carbon Budgets Delivery Plan sets out expected emissions savings, including from Defra’s commitment to explore policies to achieve the near elimination of biodegradable municipal waste to landfill from 2028, including consistent collections of recycling. Government’s response to the consultation on this will be published shortly.

Alternative Fuel Payments: Second Homes

Kenny MacAskill: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to Answer of 24 April to Question 181618 on Alternative Fuel Payments: Second Homes. what information his Department holds on how many such claims for Additional Fuel Payment to a local authority have (a) been rejected and (b) given rise to a prosecution.

Amanda Solloway: Data is still being collected regarding the Alternative Fuel Payment Alternative Fund, and the Department will be publishing transparency data in due course.

Energy: Meters

Anne McLaughlin: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions he has had with (a) energy suppliers and (b) Ofgem on ending the premiums for prepayment meter energy customers.

Amanda Solloway: Ministers and officials meet regularly with both Ofgem and suppliers to discuss a range of issues, including prepayment meters (PPMs). From July, the Energy Price Guarantee will be adjusted so that the typical customer on a PPM is paying the same amount as an equivalent customer on direct debit until 31 March 2024. The Government has asked Ofgem to report by autumn on options to bring charges for PPM customers into line with direct debit customers, including standing charges, so that they are ready for implementation when the EPG ends.

Energy: Meters

Anne McLaughlin: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of a permanent ban of (a) forced prepayment meter installations and (b) the remote switching of smart meters to prepayment mode for households where there is a disabled person present.

Amanda Solloway: A permanent ban on the use of involuntary prepayment meter installation would likely see a move to using debt enforcement via the courts and bailiffs, which is not a desirable outcome. The Code of Practice that Ofgem have agreed with industry and consumer groups sets out clear procedures that suppliers must follow, strengthening protections for customers in vulnerable situations, including banning involuntary switching for customers in high-risk categories.

Energy: Meters

Anne McLaughlin: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will take steps to end the use of premiums for prepayment meter energy customers after the conclusion of the Energy Price Guarantee.

Amanda Solloway: The Government has asked Ofgem to report by autumn on options to bring charges for PPM customers into line with direct debit customers, including standing charges, so that they are ready for implementation when the Energy Price Guarantee ends.

Energy: Meters

Anne McLaughlin: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department is taking steps to help ensure the end of premiums for prepayment meter energy customers.

Amanda Solloway: From July, the Energy Price Guarantee will be adjusted so that the typical customer on a PPM is paying the same amount as an equivalent customer on direct debit until 31 March 2024. The Government has asked Ofgem to report by autumn on options to bring charges for PPM customers into line with direct debit customers, including standing charges, so that they are ready for implementation when the EPG ends.

Warm Home Discount Scheme

Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many households received a Warm Home Discount payment in (a) 2020-21, (b) 2021-22 and (c) 2022-23.

Amanda Solloway: I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given by my Rt. Hon. Friend the then Minister of State for Energy and Climate to the Hon. Member for Angus on 19th January 2023 to Question 124091. For the 2022-23 scheme year, the Government will publish statistics on eligibility in the summer.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Question

Mark Fletcher: What recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of gambling regulation.

Lucy Frazer: Today we have published our white paper on the Gambling Act Review which sets out a wide-ranging, proportionate package of reforms to ensure the regulatory framework is fit for the smartphone age and the right protections are in place to protect the public from gambling-related harm. The suite of proposals strike a balance between respecting the choices of people who gamble safely, and ensuring those that are at risk of gambling harm and addiction are protected and safeguarded.

Motor Sports: Alternative Fuels

Greg Smith: Whether she is taking steps with Cabinet colleagues to ensure the availability of synthetic and sustainable fuels for use in motorsport.

Stuart Andrew: The Government welcomes the moves of the motorsport sector, including Formula 1, to develop, and make widely available, more advanced sustainable fuels. Formula 1 and the British motorsport industry has a great history of technological innovations which can have an enormous impact beyond the racetrack. Motorsport’s work to develop 100% sustainable fuels stands to benefit the global transport sector, and help our drive towards net zero.

BBC: Harassment

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had discussions with the BBC Board on the potential merits of reviewing the BBC's policy on online harassment of employees within the corporation in the last six months.

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had discussions with the BBC Board on amending its policy on dealing with online harassment of BBC employees in the last six months.

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent meetings she has had with the BBC on provision of support to victims of online harassment within the Corporation within the last six months.

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had discussions with the BBC on policy support for victims of online harassment within that organisation within the last eight months.

Julia Lopez: The BBC is operationally independent from Government, and issues relating to its employees are a matter for the Corporation. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s Ministers have not discussed the issues set out in the questions with the BBC.In regards to online abuse, the Online Safety Bill, currently in Committee Stage in the House of Lords, will ensure that all adults have a triple shield of protection when online. All companies in scope will need to take robust action against illegal content, including public order offences.The Government is committed to ensuring that journalists within the UK are able to operate free from violence, abuse and harassment. For this reason, we established a National Committee for the Safety of Journalists, whose membership includes the BBC, in 2020, and published a National Action Plan for the Safety of Journalists in 2021.

Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla

Damien Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, for what reason Peers attending His Majesty’s Coronation are not being mandated to wear their Coronation Robes and Coronets.

Stuart Andrew: The dress code for the Coronation comes under the advice and instruction of the Earl Marshal.

Ministry of Justice

Guardianship: Child Trust Fund and Individual Savings Accounts

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department is taking steps to help improve access to (a) Child Trust Funds (b) Junior ISAs for the guardians of young people without capacity to make financial decisions.

Mike Freer: In 2021, the Court of Protection begun a programme of work to digitise and streamline the property and affairs application process, this includes an online application process and changes to the application forms. A pilot of these improvements showed that application waiting times reduced from 24 weeks to 8 weeks. These improvements were rolled out for all court users in February 2023. The forms are still under review and steps are being taken to simplify these as much as possible. In December 2020 we announced that Court of Protection application fees can be waived for Child Trust Funds in the majority of cases. We are also collaborating with ODGs and stakeholders in both the disability and finance sectors to raise awareness of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and ensure that materials are available to support parents and guardians to navigate the legislation.

Courts

Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate he has made of the average unused court capacity in each year since 2010 for which figures are available.

Mike Freer: Since 2015, HMCTS had the following number of sessions recorded as either available or unavailable to schedule and hold face to face hearings:PeriodAvailable verified sessionsUnavailable verified sessionsFY 15-161,552,49042,692FY 16-171,512,42436,811FY 17-181,387,27037,598FY 18-191,347,64836,507FY 19-201,302,00638,408FY 20-211,062,856130,071FY 21-221,277,03386,511 HMCTS record a session being unavailable for a number of reasons, including important alternative uses. This includes:box workcase-related unavailabilitycommercial use (e.g., filming)community engagementwhere the room is connected to chambers which are in usecourt closures due to severe weather or security incidents, holidays (not public holiday) or formerly due to COVID-19external meetings (e.g., Court User Group)use for external organisations (e.g., Coroner)Judges office, meeting space, mentoring and/or reading timemaintenance workmediation (parties present)overspillroom closed due to COVID outbreakSingle Justice Procedurestaff meetings and/or trainingtelephone conference (obsolete)video link being used for hearing/trial (obsolete)video link being used for other matterwriting judgment. Data collection in OPT Courtroom Planner was introduced in April 2015. The data was suspended in April 2020 due to COVID-19 disruption and resumed in September 2020. The data between April and August 2020 is therefore incomplete. Please note all data provided is internal and subject to data quality issues inherent in any large-scale manual system.

Immigration: Legal Aid Scheme

Dame Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many Immigration and Asylum legal aid advisers are registered in (a) each constituency in England and (b) each local authority of (i) England, (ii) Wales, (iii) Northern Ireland and (iv) Scotland.

Mike Freer: The information requested is not held centrally. The Legal Aid Agency (LAA), which is responsible for commissioning legal aid services in England and Wales only tracks the number of organisations (referred to as ‘providers’) which hold a contract permitting them to undertake legal aid work, not the number of individual practitioners who provide legal aid services. The LAA commissions and monitors legal aid services by ‘Procurement Area’ or ‘Access Point’ rather than by constituency or local authority. Procurement areas differ for different categories of law. The LAA frequently reviews market capacity to make sure there is adequate provision of legal aid, in all categories of law, throughout England and Wales. The LAA moves quickly, where issues arise, to secure additional provision and to ensure demand for legal aid services is met across the country. The Department holds no information regarding legal aid advisers in Northern Ireland and Scotland. Matters concerning Justice and Policing are devolved to the Northern Ireland Assembly and Scottish Parliament respectively.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

Shops: Urban Areas

Matt Vickers: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department is taking steps to help ensure that (a) town centres and (b) high streets have a variety of shops other than charity shops and takeaways.

Dehenna Davison: Government is introducing measures to help places have more control over their high streets and town centres. High Street Rental Auctions, a measure within the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill, aim to empower places to tackle decline by bringing vacant units back into use. They will make town centre tenancies more accessible and affordable for tenants, including SMEs and community groups. Over five years the Government's High Streets Task Force is providing support to local leaders by giving high streets and town centres expert advice to help adapt and thrive, with local authorities receiving access to expert support in areas such as placemaking, planning and design.

Local Enterprise Partnerships

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to paragraph 3.119 of the Spring Budget 2023, HC 1183, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the proposal to withdraw central support for local enterprise partnerships from April 2024 on the delivery of local industrial strategies.

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to paragraph 3.119 of the Spring Budget 2023, HC 1183, whether his Department has carried out an impact assessment of the potential impact of the proposal to withdraw central support for local enterprise partnerships from April 2024.

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to paragraph 3.119 of the Spring Budget 2023, HC 1183, whether his Department has begun its consultation on the proposal to withdraw central support for local enterprise partnerships from April 2024.

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to paragraph 3.119 of the Spring Budget 2023, HC 1183, whether his Department consulted stakeholders prior to the Budget on the proposal to withdraw central support for local enterprise partnerships from April 2024.

Dehenna Davison: The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and the Department for Business and Trade are currently consulting on the proposal to end core funding of Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs).Consultation questionnaires were sent to all LEP chairs, combined authority mayors, local authority leaders and key stakeholder representatives. The consultation period will end on 19 May 2023 and the Government will set out a response due course.As part of the exercise, virtual roundtable discussions have also taken place with umbrella organisations and LEPs on a range of topics.

Housing: Construction

Matthew Pennycook: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how much of the £10 million of seed funding allocated to the Modern Methods of Construction Taskforce in the Budget 2021 has been spent.

Matthew Pennycook: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Modern Methods of Construction Taskforce on the delivery of new homes made using modern methods of construction.

Matthew Pennycook: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether it remains his Department's policy to extend the voluntary Right to Buy scheme to housing association tenants.

Rachel Maclean: Details of Government spending are published on gov.uk.We are tackling the barriers to increasing the use of modern methods of construction in the industry, giving us the potential to deliver homes cheaper and quicker, but it means we have to be joined up so that we have a sustained pipeline for these companies to be able to deliver these important new houses. Through our £11.5 billion affordable homes programme we are challenging the sector to increase the number of homes delivered through modern method of construction. Around 40% of current allocations made through the programme use modern methods of construction.I refer the Hon Member to my answer to Question UIN 139221 on 13 February 2023.

Elections: Proof of Identity

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, for what reason a young person's railcard is not valid for use in local and national elections as voter ID; and if he will take steps to make the young person's railcard a valid form of voter ID.

Dehenna Davison: The Government carefully considered a wide range of documents when selecting which forms of identification would be accepted for use at polling stations. It is essential that the list of accepted forms of identification includes those that are owned by the majority of the electorate, but also that the list is finite and so can be effectively administered by polling station staff. Evidence from the voter identification pilots showed that use of young person's rail card was very low against concessionary travel passes for older people, where they were trialled in Woking in 2018. Additionally, young person's railcards are generally offered in both digital and hard copy formats and, although it is intended that digital formats may be accepted n future, the Government did not specifically include digital format documents for the roll out of the policy, in order to support its effective delivery. Allowing the hard copy version of a young person's railcard but not a digital version could lead to voter confusion.Cabinet Office research shows that 98% of electors already own a form of photographic identification (in date or expired) that is accepted under the changes and this increases to 99% for those ages 18-29. A number of student cards are accredited by the Proof of Age Standards Scheme, and so are accepted. This includes the National Union of Students endorsed 'TOTUM +' student card, and a Young Scot card, meaning there are nationally available student cards that will be accepted as identification in polling stations.The Government has committed in legislation to review the voter identification policy after implementation and will consider appropriate changes to the list of accepted identification documents as part of this process.

Inter Faith Network for the United Kingdom

Sir Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the work of the Inter-Faith Network; and if he will make a statement.

Sir Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, when officials in his Department had a (a) physical meeting, (b) virtual meeting and (c) a telephone call with the Inter-Faith Network in the last year.

Sir Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, for what reason his Department informed the Inter-Faith Network on 31 March that its funding was to be cut from 1 April; and if he will make a statement.

Sir Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he has any plans to support the Inter-Faith Network.

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he plans to provide a funding grant to the Inter Faith Network UK for 2023-2024; and if he will make a statement.

Dehenna Davison: This department has provided funding to the Inter Faith Network since 2006/07. There are currently no plans for the department to fund the organisation in 2023/24.  The Government considers a wide range of factors when deciding which projects to fund.  The department monitors all funded organisations throughout the lifecycle of their project for the purposes of assessing delivery against workplan targets, compliance and evaluation, in line with best practice for the management of public funding.Details of ministerial and senior official meeting are published on gov.uk.

Elections: Proof of Identity

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he has made an estimate of the number of instances of voter personation that will be prevented by the new voter identification requirements in the local elections in May.

Dehenna Davison: I refer the Hon. Member to the answer to UIN 171447 given on 31 March 2023.

Local Government: Elections

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how much funding has been allocated to local authorities to promote awareness of new Voter ID rules, broken down by local authority.

Dehenna Davison: Further to the answer given to Question UIN 124038 on 19th January 2023 and UQ response given on the floor of the House on 21 February 2023 (Official Report, HC, Volume 728, Column 138), I refer the Hon. Member to the publication on new burdens funding here.

Private Rented Housing: Enfield

Feryal Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department has made an estimate of the average time taken to regain possession of a rental property following the issue a of section 8 notice which cited antisocial behaviour as a reason the tenancy has been broken in (a) Enfield North constituency and (b) the London Borough of Enfield in each of the last five years.

Rachel Maclean: As part of our reforms to the private rented sector, we are committed to making sure that landlords have confidence that they can take swift action to resolve anti-social behaviour. This will include lowering the notice period for the existing mandatory eviction ground, with landlords able to make a claim to the court immediately.

Private Rented Housing: Pets

Sarah Champion: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to his Department's White Paper entitled A Fairer Private Rented Sector, published on 16 June 2022, what support his Department plans to provide to landlords to help facilitate pet tenancies in the private rental sector.

Rachel Maclean: I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 176692 on 21 April 2023.

Planning Permission

Matt Vickers: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department is taking steps with planning authorities to ensure that planning permission is granted only when local services are able to manage with increased demand.

Rachel Maclean: The provision of the right infrastructure at the right time is very important to new and existing communities. The Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill gives the Government powers to create a new Infrastructure Levy. The Levy will allow infrastructure like schools, GP surgeries and new roads to be provided in a more effective, transparent and efficient manner. Local authorities will be able either to fund this provision themselves, or require developers to deliver them.The new Levy will be a mandatory, non-negotiable charge, set and collected locally, to largely replace the complex and discretionary Section 106 regime and Community Infrastructure Levy. It will aim to capture land value uplift at a higher level than the current developer contribution regime.The Levy will be brought forward through regulations that will set out the detail of how it will operate. We have published a technical consultation on the Infrastructure Levy, closing 9 June.

Private Rented Housing: Rents

Damien Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the proposed fair rents policy in the Fairer private rented sector White Paper on the (a) build-to-rent and (b) institutional private rented sectors.

Damien Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of abolishing section 21 notices on the institutional private rented sector, including build-to-rent homes.

Damien Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what estimate his Department has made of the average time taken to regain possession of rental properties via issuing of section 8 notices with antisocial behaviour cited as the reason in each of the last five years.

Damien Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment his Department has made of the implications for its policies of the use of section 13 notices on increasing rent in residential properties in each of the last five years.

Damien Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department has made an estimate of the average time it takes for section 13 hearings to be concluded, taken from the first issuing of a notice to the conclusion of the hearing, in each of the last five years.

Damien Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what data his Department holds on the outcome of section 13 hearings in respect of a proposed new rent being (a) accepted, (b) uplifted or (c) reduced in each of the last five years.

Damien Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of requiring section 13 notices to be issued for any change in rental rates and the ability of renters to challenge this on the caseload burden of the First Tier Tribunal in England and Wales.

Damien Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment his Department has made of the steps required to improve the courts and tribunals process and capacity for resolving disputes between tenants and landlords in the event of the implementation of the Fairer private rented sector White Paper.

Rachel Maclean: The Government will introduce a Renters Reform Bill that will deliver the manifesto commitment to end Section 21 'no fault' evictions. This will support a buoyant private rented sector and continued investment, including from institutional investors. We will publish a full Impact Assessment of our proposed reforms alongside the passage of legislation.Our proposals on rent increases will avoid rent increases being used as a backdoor method of eviction, and allow both parties to negotiate effectively. Nothing in these proposals will prevent landlords being able to increase rents to market prices.The Government does not publish data on the average time taken for a Section 13 case to be heard. Decisions on Residential Property Tribunal cases in England, including Section 13 cases, from December 2018 onwards can be found here.To free up court capacity, we will develop an improved dispute resolution offer for the private rented sector (PRS). This includes improving access to redress through a new PRS Ombudsman and increasing the use of mediation.We are working with the Ministry of Justice to assess the impacts of our reforms on the justice system. We will ensure it works for landlords and tenants, including through increased use of digital and online technologies.The Ministry of Justice publishes data on the timeliness of possession cases through the county court, but this is not divided into the grounds for eviction which the landlord has used.

Affordable Housing: Construction

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what proportion of the affordable housing programme is allocated to modern methods of construction.

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he plans to increase the amount of the affordable housing programme dedicated to modern methods of construction.

Rachel Maclean: The Affordable Homes Programme (AHP) is committed to promoting Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), and provides incentives for the market to expand its use without compromising the number of homes we deliver.In August 2021 we announced allocations for Strategic Partnerships worth £8.6 billion to deliver 119,000 affordable homes. Through these allocations we have achieved our target of 25% of delivery through MMC.The Government is working with its delivery agencies to confirm the 2021 - 26 Programme's capacity to deliver as part of a review of programme commitments in light of economic challenges faced by providers. This is due to complete in Spring 2023.There are no current plans to revise this target as part of the AHP 21-26.

Disabled Facilities Grants

Mr Clive Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department plans to increase the maximum amount that can be awarded through the Disabled Facility Grant in the context of the rise of the cost of materials and labour.

Felicity Buchan: I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave to Question UIN 180284 on 24 April 2023.

Pocket Living

James Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department has had recent discussions with Pocket Living on remediation of fire safety defects in buildings it has developed.

Lee Rowley: Officials met Pocket Living in February to discuss remediation of fire safety defects in buildings it has developed, and received assurances that remediation would be carried out at Pocket Living’s cost to the necessary standards.

Department for Business and Trade

Royal Mail: Closures

Kirsten Oswald: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent discussions she has had with Royal Mail on the closure of customer service points.

Kevin Hollinrake: Decisions on the provision of Royal Mail customer service points are an operational matter for the business, provided they meet Ofcom’s regulatory requirement on Royal Mail, as the Designated Universal Service Provider, to provide access points for the universal postal service.However, I understand Royal Mail has completed the first stage of its review of customer service points and decided to maintain the current estate.

Special Educational Needs: Employment Schemes

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what incentives her Department plans to introduce to encourage businesses to offer flexible working arrangements that help enable jobseekers with SEND to access employment.

Kevin Hollinrake: The Government is taking steps to encourage businesses to discuss and agree suitable flexible working arrangements with all workers and jobseekers, including those with SEND. In December 2022, we published our response to the “making flexible working the default” consultation. This committed to a range of measures, including making the right to request flexible working a ‘day one’ entitlement, by removing the existing 26-week qualifying period.We are also supporting the Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Bill, which will make further changes to improve access to flexible working. Certain jobseekers with SEND may have the right to reasonable adjustments when applying for jobs, which businesses have a duty to consider.

Imports: Israeli Settlements

Mrs Pauline Latham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will make it her policy to prevent the importation of goods originating from illegal Israeli settlements into the UK.

Nigel Huddleston: There are no current import sanctions on goods originating from Israeli settlements. However, goods originating from Israeli settlements in the West Bank are not entitled to tariff and trade preferences under either the trade agreement between the UK and Israel, or the agreement between the UK and the Palestinian Authority.

Clean Steel Fund

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will publish the timeframe for the establishment of the Clean Steel Fund.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave on 20 April to Questions 181110/12.

Government Departments: Staff

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 17 April to Question 177725 on Government Departments: Staff, when staff in the London headquarters of the former Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy last completed a Leesman office survey; and how many and what proportion of respondents to that survey (a) agreed and (b) disagreed with the statements about their main workplace that (i) it enabled them to work productively, (ii) it supported them sharing ideas and knowledge among colleagues, (iii) it created an enjoyable environment to work in, (iv) it contributed to a sense of community at work and (v) it's a place they were proud to bring visitors to.

Nigel Huddleston: Please find the data below to respond to this PQ. It comes from the Leesman survey that was issued to those in the former Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), 1 Victoria Street and was conducted in July 2022. BEIS, 1 Victoria Street - July 2022Agree - No.Agree - %Disagree - No.Disagree - %It enables me to work productively56349.65%43338.18%It supports me sharing ideas/knowledge amongst colleagues69761.68%25622.65%It creates an enjoyable environment to work in51745.63%36332.04%It contributes to a sense of community at work60153.37%30427.00%It's a place I'm proud to bring visitors to34330.38%37533.22% The percentage figure will not add up to 100% as some respondents will have answered a neutral response or chose not to answer this question.

Government Departments: Staff

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer 2023 of 17 April to Question 177725 on Government Departments: Staff, when staff in the London headquarters of the former Department for International Trade last completed a Leesman office survey; and how many and what proportion of respondents to that survey (a) agreed and (b) disagreed with the statements about their main workplace that (i) it enabled them to work productively, (ii) it supported them sharing ideas and knowledge among colleagues, (iii) it created an enjoyable environment to work in, (iv) it contributed to a sense of community at work and (v) it's a place they were proud to bring visitors to.

Nigel Huddleston: This data comes from the Leesman survey that was issued to those in the former Department for International Trade (DIT), Old Admiralty Building (OAB), London, and was conducted in May 2022. DIT, OAB - May 2022Agree - No.Agree - %Disagree - No.Disagree - %It enables me to work productively43961.23%20929.15%It supports me sharing ideas/knowledge amongst colleagues44462.27%17224.12%It creates an enjoyable environment to work in50370.45%11516.11%It contributes to a sense of community at work44462.27%17724.82%It's a place I'm proud to bring visitors to54676.79%283.94% The percentage figure will not add up to 100% as some respondents will have answered a neutral response or chose not to answer this question.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Swimming

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many applications for inland bathing water sites were submitted last year; and how many and what proportion of those applications were successful.

Rebecca Pow: In 2022 my department received 16 bathing water applications for inland sites. 3 of these sites have been designated as bathing waters: Sykes Lane Bathing Beach, Rutland Water, Whitwell Creek, Rutland Water and an area of the River Deben Estuary at Waldringfield, Suffolk.

Hill Farming: Subsidies

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential impact of withdrawing the basic payment scheme from uplands and less favourable areas on the economy.

Mark Spencer: In September 2022, the Government published an update to its Agriculture in the UK Evidence Pack. This publication included static analysis showing the profitability of farms in the absence of Direct Payments for the years immediately prior to the start of the agricultural transition. In 2019 the Government published the farming evidence compendium. This publication provided an in-depth assessment of the impacts of removing Direct Payments with analysis by sector, location in England and type of land tenure. This publication also provided analysis on how farm businesses, across all sectors, can offset the impact of Direct Payments. Upland farms are experienced in participating and profiting from agri-environment schemes. The payment rates for new environmental land management schemes provide the largest profit margins on the least productive land. This means farms in uplands areas are well placed to benefit from many of the options in our future farming schemes. The Government is reinvesting the money freed from Direct Payments to our other schemes for farmers and land managers. We are offering ongoing payments and one-off grants to improve farm productivity, benefit the environment and support sustainable food production. Farmers affected by the phasing out of Direct Payments can also receive free business advice and support through the Future Farming Resilience Fund.

Tree Planting

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate her Department has made of the number of trees that were planted in England in (a) 2020, (b) 2021 and (c) 2022.

Trudy Harrison: The Forestry Commission produces statistics on all new planting of woodland for the UK. These can be found in Forestry Statistics on the Forest Research website. These statistics are reported for each financial year in thousands of hectares. The latest available figures are for 2021-22.

Food: Shortages

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with food producers on potential food shortages in the context of the drought in Spain.

Mark Spencer: Defra has well established ways of working with the industry and across Government to monitor risks that may arise. This includes extensive, regular and ongoing engagement in preparedness for, and response to, issues with the potential to cause disruption to food supply chains. In February, some supermarkets applied item limits to a small number of fruit and vegetables due to poor weather affecting the harvest in Spain and North Africa. Supply is now at a manageable level due to improvements in supply from these regions, imports from the Netherlands and produce from domestic harvests becoming available. We are aware that parts of Spain are facing drought conditions.  However, our high degree of food security is built on supply from diverse sources; strong domestic production as well as imports through stable trade routes. We produce 61% of all the food we need, and 74% of food which we can grow or rear in the UK for all or part of the year, and these figures have changed little over the last 20 years. Defra is closely monitoring markets and supply chains to explore the factors that have contributed to ongoing supply chain pressures and is considering how government and industry can work together to mitigate them, in the short and longer term. For example, I met with major retailers on 27 February to discuss supply issues, their procurement contracts with growers and how to work together to find solutions. In addition, on 3 March, I also visited Thanet Earth to discuss the opportunities and challenges for growers within the horticulture sector. Defra has been engaging with primary producers and trade associations such as the British Growers Association, to assess potential risks to the supply of fruit and vegetables.

Tree Felling

Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an estimate of the number of (a) (i) ash and (ii) other trees that were felled to help tackle ash dieback and (b) ash trees that have died from ash dieback in the last three years.

Trudy Harrison: Forestry is a devolved matter and so this answer is for England only. The Forestry Commission issues felling licences under its regulatory powers in the Forestry Act 1967 for trees to be legally felled. The Government does not collect data on the number of individual trees that have been felled, including those affected by ash dieback. Estimating the number of trees affected by ash dieback would be challenging as felling licence applications are assessed based on intent. It is also possible that there are trees which have been affected by ash dieback which are exempt from felling regulations. This includes those presenting an immediate risk to public safety. Forest Research, the research agency of the Forestry Commission, in collaboration with Fera, does publish a heat map of areas most affected by ash dieback. This is available at https://chalaramap.fera.co.uk/

Hunting

Tommy Sheppard: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to take further steps to prevent illegal hunting at events described as trail hunting; and if she will make a statement.

Tommy Sheppard: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the prevalence of illegal hunting at events described as trail hunting.

Trudy Harrison: We recognise it is possible that dogs used for trail hunting may on occasion pick up and follow the scent of live foxes during a trail hunt. If this occurs it is the responsibility of the huntsman and other members of hunt staff to control their hounds. Failure to prevent dogs from chasing or killing a fox may be taken as intent to break the law. Anyone who believes that an offence has taken place should report the matter to the police, as the police deal with complaints of illegal hunting.

Air Pollution

Geraint Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the annual mean concentration of fine particulate matter PM2.5 (a) from (i) non-anthropogenic sources and (ii) transboundary sources and (b) in total in (A) the East Midlands, (B) the East of England, (C) Greater London, (D) the North East, (E) the North West, (F) the South East, (G) the South West, (H) the West Midlands, (I) Yorkshire and the Humber and (J) England in 2021.

Rebecca Pow: Impacts of transboundary pollution were considered as part of the assessment that informed the setting of our new PM2.5 targets. The evidence report published alongside the target consultation (https://consult.defra.gov.uk/natural-environment-policy/consultation-on-environmental-targets/supporting_documents/Air%20quality%20targets%20%20Detailed%20Evidence%20report.pdfEvidence report) described the PM2.5 concentrations expected under different scenarios across the UK in future years and the different sources that contribute to this. Information on historic PM2.5 concentrations in different locations across the country can be found in the Technical report on UK supplementary modelling assessment under the Air Quality Standards Regulations 2010 for 2021 (defra.gov.uk).

Food: Procurement

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an estimate with Cabinet colleagues of the amount and proportion of public sector spending on food that was (a) locally-produced and (b) certified to high environmental production standards in the last 12 months.

Mark Spencer: The public sector procures approximately £5bn of food and catering services annually, with hospitals, prisons, armed forces and central Government departments required to comply with the Government Buying Standards for Food and Catering Services (GBSF). Defra consulted on updates to the GBSF last year, including proposals to increase the amount of food procured to higher environmental production standards, such as LEAF and organic within the public sector. We are currently considering how best to update the GBSF to support the transition to a healthier, more sustainable food system. The updated standards will be forward-looking, and we will not be producing a retrospective review of spend over the last 12 months.

Food: Public Sector

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 3 November 2022 to Question 74577 on Food: Public Sector, what recent estimate she has made of when her Department will publish a response to the consultation on Public Sector Food and Catering Policy; and how many staff in her Department are working on the consultation responses.

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent estimate she has made of when the revised version of the guidance entitled Government buying standards for food and catering services will be published.

Mark Spencer: We are reviewing the responses received to the public sector food and catering policy consultation. Officials are considering how best to update the current Government buying standards for food and catering services to support the transition to a healthier, more sustainable food system. We plan to publish the Government Response, Summary of Responses, updated policy and supporting guidance in the summer.

Food: Procurement

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the oral contribution of the Minister for Food, Farming and Fisheries to the urgent question entitled Food Price Inflation on 23 March 2023, Official Report, column 432, what her planned timetable is for procuring 50 per cent of public sector food from local or sustainable sources.

Mark Spencer: We consulted on updates to the Government buying standards for food last year and plan to publish the response this summer. The updated standards will continue to encourage the public sector on a journey towards championing healthier, sustainable food, provided by a diverse range of suppliers. In updating the standards, we must ensure we meet our domestic and international legal obligations, in particular under the WTO Government Procurement Agreement (GPA). There is already guidance available to support public sector contracting authorities to set aside contracts for SMEs and by location, for small contracts if they are under the GPA thresholds (thresholds are circa £200K, depending on the specific public sector body).

Department for Work and Pensions

National Employment Savings Trust Corporation: Atos

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether NEST employed external advisers and consultants regarding the procurement contract between the National Employment Savings Trust and Atos which was cancelled.

Laura Trott: As a public corporation Nest Corporation is generally independent of government in its day-to-day commercial decisions. As the Trustee of the pension scheme, Nest Corporation has a fiduciary duty to act in the best interests of its pension scheme members. To fulfil this duty Nest Corporation has sole responsibility for the recruitment, retention of its staff, including external advisers and consultants to provide advice.

Pension Credit

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he has made a recent assessment of the potential impact of appointing a pensions commissioner on the uptake of pension credit.

Laura Trott: We have no plans to make such an assessment. The Department has undertaken a sustained campaign to raise awareness of Pension Credit and is committed to eligible pensioners receiving the money they are entitled to.

Social Security Benefits: Overpayments

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what information his Department holds on how may people received benefit overpayments as a result of fraud in the last financial year for which data is available.

Tom Pursglove: We have interpreted your question as a request for the number of people with new debts entered on the department’s debt manager system in 2022/23, with a categorisation of fraud. Under this, fraud is specifically defined as where the claimant admits to fraud after being cautioned, has been convicted in court, or has accepted an administrative penalty. On that basis, the department recorded 2,171 new overpayments identified as arising from fraud on its debt management system in 2022/23. Categorisation of overpayments can alter if one of these conditions subsequently changes.

Leader of the House

Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership

Ms Anum Qaisar: To ask the Leader of the House, whether the House will have a debate on a substantive motion on the UK’s accession to CPTPP.

Penny Mordaunt: The CPTPP will act as a gateway to the Indo-Pacific, one of the most dynamic and fastest-growing regions on Earth. When we join, the bloc will account for around 15% of global GDP and could boost the UK economy by £1.8 billion in the long run, with wages set to rise by £800 million compared to 2019 levels as a consequence.Once signed, the agreement will be laid before Parliament for 21 sitting days of formal scrutiny under the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 (CRaG). There will be at least three months between publication of the agreement and the commencement of the scrutiny period under CRaG. Any legislation required to implement the agreement will be scrutinised and passed by Parliament in the usual way. The Government commitment to holding debates during the CRaG process is subject to the request being made in a timely manner and parliamentary time being available.

Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill

Patrick Grady: To ask the Leader of the House, whether the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill will (a) return to Parliament before the end of the 2022-23 Session or (b) be carried over into Session 2023-24.

Penny Mordaunt: We have some of the highest animal welfare standards in the world and we continue to strengthen these even further. Since 2010 we have:Introduced new regulations for minimum standards for meat chickens;Banned the use of conventional battery cages for laying hens;Made CCTV mandatory in slaughterhouses in England;Made microchipping mandatory for dogs in 2015;Modernised our licensing system for a range of activities such as dog breeding and pet sales;Protected service animals via ‘Finn’s Law’;Banned the commercial third-party sales of puppies and kittens (‘Lucy’s Law’);Passed the Wild Animals in Circuses Act;Led work to implement humane trapping standards;Passed the Animal Sentience Act;Passed the Ivory Act;Increased maximum sentences for animal cruelty from six months to five years’ imprisonment;Delivering one of the toughest bans in the world on the import of hunting trophies;Supporting a Bill to ban the import and export of detached shark fins and shark fin products;Supporting a Bill to prohibit the advertising and offering for sale, here, of unacceptably low welfare activities involving wild animals;We recognise the strong support for getting provisions in the Kept Animals Bill onto the statute book and we are fully committed to delivering our manifesto commitments on animal welfare. All future business will be announced in the usual way.